Tumor suppression using human placental perfusate and human placenta-derived intermediate natural killer cells

ABSTRACT

Provided herein are placental perfusate, placental perfusate cells, and placenta-derived intermediate natural killer cells, and combinations thereof. Also provided herein are compositions comprising the same, and methods of using placental perfusate, placental perfusate cells, and placenta-derived intermediate natural killer cells, and combinations thereof, to suppress the growth or proliferation of tumor cells, cancer cells, and the like, and to treat individuals having tumor cells.

This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 60/995,763, filed Sep. 28, 2007, and U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 61/090,555, filed Aug. 20, 2008, the disclosures ofwhich are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

1. FIELD

Presented herein are methods of suppressing the growth or proliferationof tumor cells by contacting the tumor cells with placental perfusate,placental perfusate-derived cells, natural killer cells from placenta,e.g., from placental perfusate, and/or combined natural killer cellscomprising natural killer cells from placenta, e.g., from placentalperfusate and natural killer cells from umbilical cord blood. Alsoprovided herein are methods of producing a unique population of naturalkiller cells from placenta, e.g., from placental perfusate, e.g., humanplacental perfusate. Further provided herein are methods of using theplacental perfusate, and the natural killer cells therefrom, to suppressthe proliferation of tumor cells.

2. BACKGROUND

Placental perfusate comprises a collection of placental cells obtainedby passage of a perfusion solution through the placental vasculature,and collection of the perfusion fluid from the vasculature, from thematernal surface of the placenta, or both. Methods of perfusingmammalian placentas are described, e.g., in U.S. Pat. No. 7,045,146 andU.S. Pat. No. 7,255,879. The population of placental cells obtained byperfusion is heterogenous, comprising hematopoietic (CD34⁺) cells,nucleated cells such as granulocytes, monocytes and macrophages, a smallpercentage (less than 1%) tissue culture substrate-adherent placentalstem cells, and natural killer cells. No one to date has described theuse of placental perfusate, or populations of placental cells fromperfusate, in the suppression of tumor cell proliferation.

Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic lymphocytes that constitute amajor component of the innate immune system. NK cells do not expressT-cell antigen receptors (TCR), CD3 or surface immunoglobulins (Ig) Bcell receptor, but usually express the surface markers CD16 (FcγRIII)and CD56 in humans. NK cells are cytotoxic; small granules in theircytoplasm contain special proteins such as perforin and proteases knownas granzymes. Upon release in close proximity to a cell slated forkilling, perforin forms pores in the cell membrane of the target cellthrough which the granzymes and associated molecules can enter, inducingapoptosis. One granzyme, granzyme B (also known as granzyme 2 andcytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated serine esterase 1), is a serineprotease crucial for rapid induction of target cell apoptosis in thecell-mediated immune response.

NK cells are activated in response to interferons or macrophage-derivedcytokines. Activated NK cells are referred to as lymphokine activatedkiller (LAK) cells. NK cells possess two types of surface receptors,labeled “activating receptors” and “inhibitory receptors,” that controlthe cells' cytotoxic activity.

Among other activities, NK cells play a role in the host rejection oftumors. Because cancer cells have reduced or no class I MHC expression,they can become targets of NK cells. Accumulating clinical data suggestthat haploidentical transplantation of human NK cells isolated from PBMCor bone marrow mediate potent anti-leukemia effects without possessingdetectable graft versus host disease (GVHD). See Ruggeri et al., Science295:2097-2100 (2002)). Natural killer cells can become activated bycells lacking, or displaying reduced levels of, major histocompatibilitycomplex (MHC) proteins. Activated and expanded NK cells and LAK cellshave been used in both ex vivo therapy and in vivo treatment of patientshaving advanced cancer, with some success against bone marrow relateddiseases, such as leukemia; breast cancer; and certain types oflymphoma. LAK cell treatment requires that the patient first receiveIL-2, followed by leukopheresis and then an ex vivo incubation andculture of the harvested autologous blood cells in the presence of IL-2for a few days. The LAK cells must be reinfused along with relativelyhigh doses of IL-2 to complete the therapy. This purging treatment isexpensive and can cause serious side effects. These include fluidretention, pulmonary edema, drop in blood pressure, and high fever.

In spite of the advantageous properties of NK cells in killing tumorcells and virus-infected cells, they remain difficult to work with andto apply in immunotherapy, primarily due to the difficulty inmaintaining their tumor-targeting and tumoricidal capabilities duringculture and expansion. Thus, there is a need in the art for a readysupply of natural killer cells.

3. SUMMARY

Provided herein is the use of placental perfusate; cells from placentalperfusate, e.g., total nucleated cells from placental perfusate;combinations of placental perfusate cells and cord blood cells; and/ornatural killer cells from placenta, e.g., natural killer cells fromplacental perfusate or natural killer cells obtained by digestion ofplacental tissue, to suppress tumor cell proliferation.

In one aspect, provided herein is a method of suppressing theproliferation of a tumor cell, or population of tumor cells, comprisingcontacting the tumor cell or population of tumor cells with humanplacental perfusate. In a specific embodiment of this method, the tumorcell is a blood cancer cell. In another specific embodiment, the tumorcells are blood cancer cells. In another specific embodiment, the tumorcell is a solid tumor cell. In another specific embodiment, the tumorcells are solid tumor cells. In another embodiment, the tumor cell is aprimary ductal carcinoma cell, a leukemia cell, an acute T cell leukemiacell, a chronic myeloid lymphoma (CML) cell, an acute myelogenousleukemia cell, a chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) cell, a lungcarcinoma cell, a colon adenocarcinoma cell, a histiocytic lymphomacell, multiple myeloma cell, a retinoblastoma cell, a colorectalcarcinoma cell, or a colorectal adenocarcinoma cell. In another specificembodiment, said contacting takes place in vitro. In another specificembodiment, said contacting takes place in vivo. In a more specificembodiment, said in vivo contacting takes place in a human.

In another specific embodiment, said placental perfusate is perfusatethat has been passed through placental vasculature, e.g., only throughplacental vasculature. In another specific embodiment, said placentalperfusate has been passed through the placental vasculature andcollected from the maternal face of the placenta. In another specificembodiment, all, or substantially all (e.g., greater than 90%, 95%, 98%or 99%) of cells in said placental perfusate are fetal cells. In anotherspecific embodiment, the placental perfusate comprises fetal andmaternal cells. In a more specific embodiment, the fetal cells in saidplacental perfusate comprise less than about 90%, 80%, 70%, 60% or 50%of the cells in said perfusate. In another specific embodiment, saidperfusate is obtained by passage of a 0.9% NaCl solution through theplacental vasculature. In another specific embodiment, said perfusatecomprises a culture medium. In another specific embodiment, saidperfusate has been treated to remove a plurality of erythrocytes.

In another aspect, provided herein is a method of suppressing theproliferation of a tumor cell or plurality of tumor cells comprisingcontacting the tumor cell or plurality of tumor cells with a pluralityof placental perfusate cells. In another specific embodiment, saidplurality of placental perfusate cells are, or comprise, total nucleatedcells from placental perfusate. In another specific embodiment, saidplacental perfusate or placental perfusate cells, e.g., total nucleatedcells from placental perfusate, have been treated to remove at least onetype of cell. In another specific embodiment, said contacting takesplace in vitro. In another specific embodiment, said contacting takesplace in vivo. In a more specific embodiment, said in vivo contactingtakes place in a mammal, e.g., a human. In another specific embodiment,said placental perfusate cells have been treated to enrich for at leastone type of cell, e.g., CD56⁺ cells. In another specific embodiment,said placental perfusate cells are CD56⁺ placental cells. In a morespecific embodiment, the CD56⁺ cells are CD56⁺CD16⁻ natural killercells, e.g., placental intermediate natural killer (PINK) cells, e.g.,obtained from placental perfusate cells or placental cells obtained bymechanical or enzymatic disruption of placental tissue. In anotherspecific embodiment, said CD56⁺ cells are selected by CD56-conjugatedmicrobeads. In another specific embodiment, said CD56⁺ cells comprisecells that exhibit detectably lower expression of NKG2D, NKp46 or CD94than an equivalent number of CD56⁺CD16⁺ natural killer cells. In anotherspecific embodiment, the PINK cells are CD3⁻. In a more specificembodiment, at least 50% of the cells in said placental perfusate cellsare said CD56⁺ cells. In a more specific embodiment, wherein the CD56⁺cells are at least 50% of said placental perfusate cells, the tumor cellis a primary ductal carcinoma cell, a leukemia cell, an acute T cellleukemia cell, a chronic myeloid lymphoma (CML) cell, an acutemyelogenous leukemia cell, a chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) cell, alung carcinoma cell, a colon adenocarcinoma cell, a histiocytic lymphomacell, multiple myeloma cell, a retinoblastoma cell, a colorectalcarcinoma cell or a colorectal adenocarcinoma cell. In specificembodiments, said contacting is contacting in vitro. In anotherembodiment, said contacting is contacting in vivo, e.g., in a mammal,e.g., a human.

In another aspect, provided herein is a method of suppressing theproliferation of a tumor cell or plurality of tumor cells comprisingcontacting the tumor cell or plurality of tumor cells with a pluralityof natural killer cells from placenta, e.g., PINK cells. In a specificembodiment, the natural killer cells from placenta are natural killercells obtained from placental perfusate. In another specific embodiment,the natural killer cells are natural killer cells obtained by physicaldisruption and/or enzymatic digestion of placental tissue. In anotherspecific embodiment, the natural killer cells are CD56⁺CD16⁻ naturalkiller cells, e.g., PINK cells. In another specific embodiment, saidnatural killer cells are selected, e.g., from placental perfusate cellsor cells obtained by physical disruption and/or enzymatic digestion ofplacental tissue, by CD56-conjugated microbeads. In another specificembodiment, the natural killer cells are CD3⁻. In a specific embodiment,the plurality of natural killer cells is at least 80% of the cells in apopulation of cells that comprises the natural killer cells. In anotherspecific embodiment, said contacting takes place in vitro. In anotherspecific embodiment, said contacting takes place in vivo. In a morespecific embodiment, said in vivo contacting takes place in a mammal,e.g., a human.

In another specific embodiment of the method, said plurality of naturalkiller cells comprises cells that exhibit detectably lower expression ofNKG2D, NKp46 or CD94 than an equivalent number of CD56⁺CD16⁺ naturalkiller cells. In another specific embodiment, said plurality of naturalkiller cells, e.g., PINK cells, expresses one or more of the microRNAshsa-miR-100, hsa-miR-127, hsa-miR-211, hsa-miR-302c, hsa-miR-326,hsa-miR-337, hsa-miR-497, hsa-miR-512-3p, hsa-miR-515-5p, hsa-miR-517b,hsa-miR-517c, hsa-miR-518a, hsa-miR-518e, hsa-miR-519d, hsa-miR-520g,hsa-miR-520h, hsa-miR-564, hsa-miR-566, hsa-miR-618, and/or hsa-miR-99aat a detectably higher level than peripheral blood natural killer cells.

In another specific embodiment, said plurality of natural killer cells,e.g., PINK cells, are contacted with an immunomodulatory compound in anamount and for a time sufficient for said plurality of natural killercells to express detectably more granzyme B than an equivalent number ofsaid natural killer cells not contacted with said immunomodulatorycompound. In a more specific embodiment, said immunomodulatory compoundis lenalidomide or pomalidomide. In another specific embodiment, saidplurality of natural killer cells, e.g., PINK cells, are contacted withan immunomodulatory compound in an amount and for a time sufficient forsaid natural killer cells to exhibit detectably more cytotoxicitytowards said tumor cells than an equivalent number of said naturalkiller cells not contacted with said immunomodulatory compound, e.g.,lenalidomide or pomalidomide. In another specific embodiment, saidplurality of natural killer cells, e.g., PINK cells, express one or moreof BAX, CCL5, CCR5, CSF2, FAS, GUSB, IL2RA, or TNFRSF18 at a higherlevel than an equivalent number of said natural killer cells notcontacted with said immunomodulatory compound. In another specificembodiment, said plurality of natural killer cells, e.g., PINK cells,express one or more of ACTB, BAX, CCL2, CCL3, CCL5, CCR5, CSF1, CSF2,ECE1, FAS, GNLY, GUSB, GZMB, IL1A, L2RA, IL8, IL10, LTA, PRF1, PTGS2,SKI, and TBX21 at a higher level than an equivalent number of saidnatural killer cells not contacted with said immunomodulatory compound.

In another embodiment, the natural killer cells from placenta arecombined with natural killer cells from another source, e.g., placentalblood and/or umbilical cord blood, e.g., to form combined natural killercells. As used herein, the phrase “natural killer cell(s) from placenta”does not include natural killer cells from umbilical cord blood orplacental blood. In more specific embodiments, the natural killer cellsfrom placenta are combined with natural killer cells from another sourcein a ratio of about 100:1, 95:5, 90:10, 85:15, 80:20, 75:25, 70:30,65:35, 60:40, 55:45: 50:50, 45:55, 40:60, 35:65, 30:70, 25:75, 20:80,15:85, 10:90, 5:95, 100:1, 95:1, 90:1, 85:1, 80:1, 75:1, 70:1, 65:1,60:1, 55:1, 50:1, 45:1, 40:1, 35:1, 30:1, 25:1, 20:1, 15:1, 10:1, 5:1,1:1, 1:5, 1:10, 1:15, 1:20, 1:25, 1:30, 1:35, 1:40, 1:45, 1:50, 1:55,1:60, 1:65, 1:70, 1:75, 1:80, 1:85, 1:90, 1:95, 1:100, or the like.

In specific embodiments, the combined natural killer cells are notcultured, and comprise: a detectably higher number of CD3⁻CD56⁺CD16⁻natural killer cells than an equivalent number of natural killer cellsfrom peripheral blood; a detectably lower number of CD3⁻CD56⁺CD16⁺natural killer cells than an equivalent number of natural killer cellsfrom peripheral blood; a detectably higher number ofCD3⁻CD56⁺KIR2DL2/L3⁺ natural killer cells than an equivalent number ofnatural killer cells from peripheral blood; a detectably lower number ofCD3⁻CD56⁺NKp46⁺ natural killer cells than an equivalent number ofnatural killer cells from peripheral blood; a detectably higher numberof CD3⁻CD56⁺NKp30⁺ natural killer cells than an equivalent number ofnatural killer cells from peripheral blood; a detectably higher numberof CD3⁻CD56⁺2B4⁺ natural killer cells than an equivalent number ofnatural killer cells from peripheral blood; or a detectably highernumber of CD3⁻CD56⁺CD94⁺ natural killer cells than an equivalent numberof natural killer cells from peripheral blood. In other specificembodiments, the combined natural killer cells are cultured andcomprise: a detectably lower number of CD3⁻CD56⁺KIR2DL2/L3⁺ naturalkiller cells than an equivalent number of natural killer cells fromperipheral blood; a detectably higher number of CD3⁻CD56⁺NKp46⁺ naturalkiller cells than an equivalent number of natural killer cells fromperipheral blood; a detectably higher number of CD3⁻CD56⁺NKp44⁺ naturalkiller cells than an equivalent number of natural killer cells fromperipheral blood; a detectably higher number of CD3⁻CD56⁺NKp30⁺ naturalkiller cells than an equivalent number of natural killer cells fromperipheral blood.

In a specific embodiment of any of the above methods, the tumor cell isa solid tumor cell. In another specific embodiment, the tumor cell is aliquid tumor cell, e.g., a blood tumor cell. In more specificembodiments, the tumor cell is a primary ductal carcinoma cell, aleukemia cell, an acute T cell leukemia cell, a chronic myeloid lymphoma(CML) cell, an acute myelogenous leukemia cell, a chronic myelogenousleukemia (CML) cell, a lung carcinoma cell, a colon adenocarcinoma cell,a histiocytic lymphoma cell, multiple myeloma cell, a retinoblastomacell, a colorectal carcinoma cell or a colorectal adenocarcinoma cell.

In another aspect, provided herein is a composition comprising isolatedplacental CD56⁻, CD16⁻ natural killer cells, e.g., PINK cells. In aspecific embodiment, said placental natural killer cells are isolatedfrom placental perfusate. In another specific embodiment, said placentalnatural killer cells are isolated from placenta by physical disruptionand/or enzymatic digestion of placental tissue. In another specificembodiment, said natural killer cells comprise at least 50% of cells inthe composition. In a specific embodiment, said natural killer cellscomprise at least 80% of cells in the composition. In another specificembodiment, said composition comprises isolated CD56⁺, CD16⁺ naturalkiller cells. In a more specific embodiment, said CD56⁺, CD16⁺ naturalkiller cells are from a different individual than said CD56⁺, CD16⁻natural killer cells. In another specific embodiment, said isolatedCD56⁺, CD16⁻ natural killer cells are from a single individual. In amore specific embodiment, said isolated CD56⁺, CD16⁻ natural killercells comprise natural killer cells from at least two differentindividuals. In another specific embodiment, said placental naturalkiller cells, e.g., said PINK cells, are expanded.

In a more specific embodiment, the composition comprises placentalnatural killer cells and natural killer cells from another source. In aspecific embodiment, said other source is cord blood and/or umbilicalcord blood. In another specific embodiment, said other source isperipheral blood. In more specific embodiments, the natural killer cellsfrom placenta are combined with natural killer cells from another sourcein a ratio of about 100:1, 95:5, 90:10, 85:15, 80:20, 75:25, 70:30,65:35, 60:40, 55:45: 50:50, 45:55, 40:60, 35:65, 30:70, 25:75, 20:80,15:85, 10:90, 5:95, 100:1, 95:1, 90:1, 85:1, 80:1, 75:1, 70:1, 65:1,60:1, 55:1, 50:1, 45:1, 40:1, 35:1, 30:1, 25:1, 20:1, 15:1, 10:1, 5:1,1:1, 1:5, 1:10, 1:15, 1:20, 1:25, 1:30, 1:35, 1:40, 1:45, 1:50, 1:55,1:60, 1:65, 1:70, 1:75, 1:80, 1:85, 1:90, 1:95, 1:100, or the like.

In another specific embodiment, the composition comprises isolatedplacental perfusate. In a more specific embodiment, said placentalperfusate is from the same individual as said natural killer cells. Inanother more specific embodiment, said placental perfusate comprisesplacental perfusate from a different individual than said natural killercells. In another specific embodiment, all, or substantially all (e.g.,greater than 90%, 95%, 98% or 99%) of cells in said placental perfusateare fetal cells. In another specific embodiment, the placental perfusatecomprises fetal and maternal cells. In a more specific embodiment, thefetal cells in said placental perfusate comprise less than about 90%,80%, 70%, 60% or 50% of the cells in said perfusate. In another specificembodiment, said perfusate is obtained by passage of a 0.9% NaClsolution through the placental vasculature. In another specificembodiment, said perfusate comprises a culture medium. In anotherspecific embodiment, said perfusate has been treated to remove aplurality of erythrocytes.

In another specific embodiment, the composition comprises placentalperfusate cells. In a more specific embodiment, said placental perfusatecells are from the same individual as said natural killer cells. Inanother more specific embodiment, said placental perfusate cells arefrom a different individual than said natural killer cells. In anotherspecific embodiment, the composition comprises isolated placentalperfusate and isolated placental perfusate cells, wherein said isolatedperfusate and said isolated placental perfusate cells are from differentindividuals. In another more specific embodiment of any of the aboveembodiments comprising placental perfusate, said placental perfusatecomprises placental perfusate from at least two individuals. In anothermore specific embodiment of any of the above embodiments comprisingplacental perfusate cells, said isolated placental perfusate cells arefrom at least two individuals. The composition can additionally compriseisolated PINK cells, wherein the PINK cells are from a differentindividual than said placental perfusate or said perfusate cells.

In another aspect, provided herein is a method of isolating placentalnatural killer cells, comprising obtaining a plurality of placentalcells, and isolating natural killer cells from said plurality ofplacental cells. In a specific embodiment, the placental cells are, orcomprise, placental perfusate cells, e.g., total nucleated cells fromplacental perfusate. In another specific embodiment, said plurality ofplacental cells are, or comprise, placental cells obtained by mechanicaland/or enzymatic digestion of placental tissue. In another embodiment,said isolating is performed using one or more antibodies. In a morespecific embodiment, said one or more antibodies comprises one or moreof antibodies to CD3, CD16 or CD56. In a more specific embodiment, saidisolating comprises isolating CD56⁺ cells from CD56⁻ cells in saidplurality of placental cells. In a more specific embodiment, saidisolating comprises isolating CD56⁺, CD16⁻ placental cells fromplacental cells that are CD56⁻ or CD16⁺. In a more specific embodiment,said isolating comprises isolating CD56⁺, CD16⁻, CD3⁻ placental cellsfrom placental cells that are CD56⁻, CD16⁺, or CD3⁺. In anotherembodiment, said method of isolating placental natural killer cellsresults in a population of placental cells that is at least 50%, 55%,60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 98% or at least 99% CD56⁺, CD16natural killer cells.

In certain embodiments of the above methods, the placental perfusatecells have been expanded in culture. In various embodiments, the cellshave been expanded for at least, about, or no more than, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24,25, 26, 27, 28, 29 or 30 days. In a specific embodiment, said placentalperfusate cells have been expanded in the presence of a feeder layerand/or in the presence of at least one cytokine. In a more specificembodiment, said feeder layer comprises K562 cells or peripheral bloodmononuclear cells. In another more specific embodiment, said at leastone cytokine is interleukin-2.

In another embodiment, provided herein is a method of treating anindividual having cancer, comprising administering to said individual atherapeutically effective amount of placental perfusate, placentalperfusate cells, placental intermediate natural killer cells, combinednatural killer cells, or combinations thereof, as described herein. Incertain embodiments, said individual has a solid tumor. In certain otherembodiments, the individual has a blood cancer. In specific embodiments,said individual has primary ductal carcinoma, a leukemia, acute T cellleukemia, chronic myeloid lymphoma (CML), acute myelogenous leukemia,chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), lung carcinoma, colonadenocarcinoma, histiocytic lymphoma, multiple myeloma, retinoblastoma,colorectal carcinoma, or colorectal adenocarcinoma.

3.1. DEFINITIONS

As used herein, “combined natural killer cells” are natural killercells, e.g., from matched umbilical cord and human placental perfusate,wherein placental perfusate is obtained from the same placenta as thecord blood. Natural killer cells from both are isolated separately or atthe same time, and combined.

As used herein, “PINK” and “PINK cells” refer to placental intermediatenatural killer cells that are obtained from human placenta, e.g., humanplacental perfusate or placental tissue that has been mechanicallyand/or enzymatically disrupted. The cells are CD56⁺ and CD16⁻, e.g., asdetermined by flow cytometry, e.g., fluorescence-activated cell sortingusing antibodies to CD56 and CD16. PINK cells are not obtained from cordblood or peripheral blood.

As used herein, “placental perfusate” means perfusion solution that hasbeen passed through at least part of a placenta, e.g., a human placenta,e.g., through the placental vasculature, including a plurality of cellscollected by the perfusion solution during passage through the placenta.

As used herein, “placental perfusate cells” means nucleated cells, e.g.,total nucleated cells, isolated from, or isolatable from, placentalperfusate.

As used herein, “tumor cell suppression,” “suppression of tumor cellproliferation,” and the like, includes slowing the growth of apopulation of tumor cells, e.g., by killing one or more of the tumorcells in said population of tumor cells, for example, by contacting thepopulation of tumor cells with PINK cells, a population of cellscomprising PINK cells, combined natural killer cells, a population ofcells comprising combined natural killer cells, human placentalperfusate, or the like.

4. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows flow cytometry results using anti-CD3 antibodies andanti-CD56 antibodies for cells selected by CD56 microbeads from humanplacental perfusate (HPP). The majority of the isolated cells areCD56⁺CD3⁻.

FIG. 2 depicts production of cytokines by PINK cells and/or tumor cellsduring 24 hour culture. FIG. 2A depicts secretion of interferon gamma(IFNγ) by placental perfusate-derived intermediate natural killer cells(PINK) cells alone or in the presence of KG-1a tumor cells. PINK cellsand KG-1a cells were cultured alone or in combination at a ratio of 1:1.Y axis: picograms of IFNγ produced by the cultures. FIG. 2B depictssecretion of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF)by PINK cells alone or in the presence of KG-1a tumor cells. PINK cellsand KG-1a cells were cultured alone or in combination at a ratio of 1:1.Y axis: picograms of GM-CSF produced by the cultures.

FIG. 3 depicts cytotoxicity of PINK cells to KG-1a tumor cells in 24hour co-culture at a ratio of 1:1, 5:1, 10:1 or 20:1 PINK cells to tumorcells. X axis: ratio of PINK cells to tumor cells. Y axis: percentage ofdead tumor cells compared to tumor cells without PINK cells.

FIG. 4 depicts cytotoxicity of placental NK cells and peripheral blood(PB) NK cells cultured for 21 days towards K562 cells. Error bars standfor standard deviation of 4 units of cultured placental NK cells or 3units of cultured peripheral blood NK cells.

FIG. 5 depicts cytotoxicity of whole human placental perfusate, asobtained from the placenta, to KG-1a tumor cells in 24 hour co-cultureat a ratio of 1:1, 5:1, 10:1 or 20:1 or 100:1 HPP cells to tumor cells.X axis: ratio of HPP cells to tumor cells. Y axis: percentage of deadtumor cells compared to tumor cells without HPP cells.

FIG. 6 depicts cytotoxicity of whole human placental perfusate, asobtained from the placenta, and umbilical cord blood, to KG-1a tumorcells in 48 hour co-culture in serial dilutions of 100:1, 50:1, 25:1,12.5:1, 6.25:1, 3.12:1, 1.56:1 or 0.78:1 HPP cells or UCB cells to tumorcells. X axis: ratio of HPP cells or umbilical cord cells to tumorcells. Y axis: percentage of dead tumor cells after 48 hours culturetime compared to tumor cells without HPP cells or umbilical cord cells.

FIG. 7 depicts cytotoxicity of whole human placental perfusate, asobtained from the placenta to KG-1a tumor cells in 48 hour co-culture inserial dilutions of 100:1, 50:1, 25:1, 12.5:1, 6.25:1, 3.12:1, 1.56:1 or0.78:1 HPP cells to tumor cells. Perfusate was either used as collected,or stimulated for 24 hours with 100 U/mL or 1000 U/mL interleukin-2(IL-2). X axis: ratio of HPP cells to tumor cells. Y axis: percentage ofdead tumor cells after 48 hours culture time compared to tumor cellswithout HPP cells.

FIG. 8 depicts the cytotoxic effect of human placental perfusate towardsa panel of tumor cell lines after culture with HPP or UCB cells at a50:1 ratio to the tumor cells. FIG. 8A: co-culture for 24 hours. FIG.8B: co-culture for 48 hours. X axis: tumor cell line tested. Y axis:percentage of dead tumor cells after co-culture, compared to the numberof tumor cells in the absence of tumor cells.

FIG. 9 depicts IFNγ production by HPP cells co-cultured with KG-1a tumorcells at different ratios of HPP cells to tumor cells. X axis:Experimental conditions, including ratio of HPP cells to tumor cells Yaxis: IFNγ levels per milliliter after 24 hours co-culture.

FIG. 10 Production of IFNγ by HPP or UCB cells in co-culture with apanel of tumor cells. HPP or UCB cells were co-cultured at a ratio of50:1 with tumor cell lines for 24 hours (FIG. 10A) or 48 hours (FIG.10B). IFNγ levels were determined by Luminex assay (HCYTO-60K-03,Millipore). X axis: tumor cell line tested. Y axis: picograms of IFNγproduced by HPP or UCB cells, compared to picograms of IFNγ produced inthe absence of tumor cells.

FIG. 11 depicts the reduction in tumor size upon administration of 2×10⁷human placental perfusate (HPP) cells to mice having KG-1 cell tumorsapproximately 332 mm³ in volume. Intra-tumor—HPP cells were injecteddirectly into the subcutaneous tumor site. IV—HPP cells administeredintravenously. Control—vehicle administration only. Tumor volumes inmm³.

5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Provided herein is the use of placental perfusate, placental perfusatecells, and/or placental perfusate-derived natural killer (“PINK”) cellsobtained from placenta to suppress the growth or proliferation of atumor cell or plurality of tumor cells. In particular, provided hereinare natural killer (NK) cells, and populations of NK cells, isolatedfrom placental perfusate, e.g., human placental perfusate, or isolatedfrom placental tissue that has been disrupted mechanically and/orenzymatically, methods of obtaining the NK cells, and methods of usingthe cells. Provided herein are also populations of cells, e.g.,populations of placental cells, comprising natural killer cells. Methodsof obtaining placental perfusate, and obtaining cells from placentalperfusate, are described in Section 5.1, below. Placentalperfusate-derived natural killer cells, and methods of obtaining thecells, are described in Section 5.2, below. Methods of using theplacental perfusate, placental perfusate-derived cells or placentalperfusate-derived natural killer cells, e.g., intermediate naturalkiller cells, to suppress the proliferation of tumor cells, aredescribed in Section 5.3, below.

5.1. Placental Perfusate

5.1.1. Cell Collection Composition

The placental perfusate, perfusate cells and placental perfusate-derivednatural killer cells provided herein can be collected by perfusion of amammalian, e.g., human post-partum placenta using a placental cellcollection composition. Perfusate can be collected from the placenta byperfusion of the placenta with any physiologically-acceptable solution,e.g., a saline solution, culture medium, or a more complex cellcollection composition. A cell collection composition suitable forperfusing a placenta, and for the collection and preservation ofperfusate cells, e.g., total nucleated placental perfusate cells or PINKcells, is described in detail in related U.S. Application PublicationNo. 2007/0190042, which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

The cell collection composition can comprise anyphysiologically-acceptable solution suitable for the collection and/orculture of stem cells, for example, a saline solution (e.g.,phosphate-buffered saline, Kreb's solution, modified Kreb's solution,Eagle's solution, 0.9% NaCl. etc.), a culture medium (e.g., DMEM,H.DMEM, etc.), and the like.

The cell collection composition can comprise one or more components thattend to preserve placental cells, that is, prevent the placental cellsfrom dying, or delay the death of the placental cells, reduce the numberof placental cells in a population of cells that die, or the like, fromthe time of collection to the time of culturing. Such components can be,e.g., an apoptosis inhibitor (e.g., a caspase inhibitor or JNKinhibitor), a vasodilator (e.g., magnesium sulfate, an antihypertensivedrug, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), adrenocorticotropin,corticotropin-releasing hormone, sodium nitroprusside, hydralazine,adenosine triphosphate, adenosine, indomethacin or magnesium sulfate, aphosphodiesterase inhibitor, etc.); a necrosis inhibitor (e.g.,2-(1H-Indol-3-yl)-3-pentylamino-maleimide, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate,or clonazepam); a TNF-α inhibitor; and/or an oxygen-carryingperfluorocarbon (e.g., perfluorooctyl bromide, pertluorodecyl bromide,etc.).

The cell collection composition can comprise one or moretissue-degrading enzymes, e.g., a metalloprotease, a serine protease, aneutral protease, a hyaluronidase, an RNase, or a DNase, or the like.Such enzymes include, but are not limited to, collagenases (e.g.,collagenase 1, II, III or IV, a collagenase from Clostridiumhistolyticum, etc.); dispase, thermolysin, elastase, trypsin, LIBERASE,hyaluronidase, and the like.

The cell collection composition can comprise a bacteriocidally orbacteriostatically effective amount of an antibiotic. In certainnon-limiting embodiments, the antibiotic is a macrolide (e.g.,tobramycin), a cephalosporin (e.g., cephalexin, cephradine, cefuroxime,cefprozil, cefaclor, cefixime or cefadroxil), a clarithromycin, anerythromycin, a penicillin (e.g., penicillin V) or a quinolone (e.g.,ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin or norfloxacin), a tetracycline, astreptomycin, etc. In a particular embodiment, the antibiotic is activeagainst Gram(+) and/or Gram(−) bacteria, e.g., Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Staphylococcus aureus, and the like.

The cell collection composition can also comprise one or more of thefollowing compounds: adenosine (about 1 mM to about 50 mM); D-glucose(about 20 mM to about 100 mM); magnesium ions (about 1 mM to about 50mM); a macromolecule of molecular weight greater than 20,000 daltons, inone embodiment, present in an amount sufficient to maintain endothelialintegrity and cellular viability (e.g., a synthetic or naturallyoccurring colloid, a polysaccharide such as dextran or a polyethyleneglycol present at about 25 g/l to about 100 g/l, or about 40 g/l toabout 60 g/l); an antioxidant (e.g., butylated hydroxyanisole, butylatedhydroxytoluene, glutathione, vitamin C or vitamin E present at about 25μM to about 100 μM); a reducing agent (e.g., N-acetylcysteine present atabout 0.1 mM to about 5 mM); an agent that prevents calcium entry intocells (e.g., verapamil present at about 2 μM to about 25 μM);nitroglycerin (e.g., about 0.05 g/L to about 0.2 g/L); an anticoagulant,in one embodiment, present in an amount sufficient to help preventclotting of residual blood (e.g., heparin or hirudin present at aconcentration of about 1000 units/l to about 100,000 units/l); or anamiloride containing compound (e.g., amiloride, ethyl isopropylamiloride, hexamethylene amiloride, dimethyl amiloride or isobutylamiloride present at about 1.0 μM to about 5 μM).

5.1.2. Collection and Handling of Placenta

Generally, a human placenta is recovered shortly after its expulsionafter birth. In a preferred embodiment, the placenta is recovered from apatient after informed consent and after a complete medical history ofthe patient is taken and is associated with the placenta. Preferably,the medical history continues after delivery. Such a medical history canbe used to coordinate subsequent use of the placenta or the cellsharvested therefrom. For example, human placental cells can be used, inlight of the medical history, for personalized medicine for the infantassociated with the placenta, or for parents, siblings or otherrelatives of the infant.

Prior to recovery of perfusate, the umbilical cord blood and placentalblood are removed. In certain embodiments, after delivery, the cordblood in the placenta is recovered. The placenta can be subjected to aconventional cord blood recovery process. Typically a needle or cannulais used, with the aid of gravity, to exsanguinate the placenta (see,e.g., Anderson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,581; Hessel et al., U.S. Pat. No.5,415,665). The needle or cannula is usually placed in the umbilicalvein and the placenta can be gently massaged to aid in draining cordblood from the placenta. Such cord blood recovery may be performedcommercially, e.g., LifeBank Inc., Cedar Knolls, N.J., ViaCord, CordBlood Registry and CryoCell. Preferably, the placenta is gravity drainedwithout further manipulation so as to minimize tissue disruption duringcord blood recovery.

Typically, a placenta is transported from the delivery or birthing roomto another location, e.g., a laboratory, for recovery of cord blood andcollection of perfusate. The placenta is preferably transported in asterile, thermally insulated transport device (maintaining thetemperature of the placenta between 20-28° C.), for example, by placingthe placenta, with clamped proximal umbilical cord, in a sterilezip-lock plastic bag, which is then placed in an insulated container. Inanother embodiment, the placenta is transported in a cord bloodcollection kit substantially as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,147,626.Preferably, the placenta is delivered to the laboratory four totwenty-four hours following delivery. In certain embodiments, theproximal umbilical cord is clamped, preferably within 4-5 cm(centimeter) of the insertion into the placental disc prior to cordblood recovery. In other embodiments, the proximal umbilical cord isclamped after cord blood recovery but prior to further processing of theplacenta.

The placenta, prior to collection of the perfusate, can be stored understerile conditions and at either room temperature or at a temperature of5 to 25° C. (centigrade). The placenta may be stored for a period oflonger than forty eight hours, and preferably for a period of four totwenty-four hours prior to perfusing the placenta to remove any residualcord blood. The placenta is preferably stored in an anticoagulantsolution at a temperature of 5° C. to 25° C. (centigrade). Suitableanticoagulant solutions are well known in the art. For example, asolution of heparin or warfarin sodium can be used. In a preferredembodiment, the anticoagulant solution comprises a solution of heparin(e.g., 1% w/w in 1:1000 solution). The exsanguinated placenta ispreferably stored for no more than 36 hours before placental perfusateis collected.

5.1.3. Placental Perfusion

Methods of perfusing mammalian placentae are disclosed, e.g., in Hariri,U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,045,148 and 7,255,879, and in U.S. ApplicationPublication No. 2007/0190042, entitled “Improved Composition forCollecting and Preserving Organs”, the disclosures of which are herebyincorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

Perfusate can be obtained by passage of perfusion solution, e.g., salinesolution, culture medium or cell collection compositions describedabove, through the placental vasculature. In one embodiment, a mammalianplacenta is perfused by passage of perfusion solution through either orboth of the umbilical artery and umbilical vein. The flow of perfusionsolution through the placenta may be accomplished using, e.g., gravityflow into the placenta. Preferably, the perfusion solution is forcedthrough the placenta using a pump, e.g., a peristaltic pump. Theumbilical vein can be, e.g., cannulated with a cannula, e.g., a TEFLON®or plastic cannula, that is connected to a sterile connection apparatus,such as sterile tubing. The sterile connection apparatus is connected toa perfusion manifold.

In preparation for perfusion, the placenta is preferably oriented insuch a manner that the umbilical artery and umbilical vein are locatedat the highest point of the placenta. The placenta can be perfused bypassage of a perfusion solution through the placental vasculature, orthrough the placental vasculature and surrounding tissue. In oneembodiment, the umbilical artery and the umbilical vein are connectedsimultaneously to a pipette that is connected via a flexible connectorto a reservoir of the perfusion solution. The perfusion solution ispassed into the umbilical vein and artery. The perfusion solution exudesfrom and/or passes through the walls of the blood vessels into thesurrounding tissues of the placenta, and is collected in a suitable openvessel from the surface of the placenta that was attached to the uterusof the mother during gestation. The perfusion solution may also beintroduced through the umbilical cord opening and allowed to flow orpercolate out of openings in the wall of the placenta which interfacedwith the maternal uterine wall. In another embodiment, the perfusionsolution is passed through the umbilical veins and collected from theumbilical artery, or is passed through the umbilical artery andcollected from the umbilical veins, that is, is passed through only theplacental vasculature (fetal tissue).

In one embodiment, for example, the umbilical artery and the umbilicalvein are connected simultaneously, e.g., to a pipette that is connectedvia a flexible connector to a reservoir of the perfusion solution. Theperfusion solution is passed into the umbilical vein and artery. Theperfusion solution exudes from and/or passes through the walls of theblood vessels into the surrounding tissues of the placenta, and iscollected in a suitable open vessel from the surface of the placentathat was attached to the uterus of the mother during gestation. Theperfusion solution may also be introduced through the umbilical cordopening and allowed to flow or percolate out of openings in the wall ofthe placenta which interfaced with the maternal uterine wall. Placentalcells that are collected by this method, which can be referred to as a“pan” method, are typically a mixture of fetal and maternal cells.

In another embodiment, the perfusion solution is passed through theumbilical veins and collected from the umbilical artery, or is passedthrough the umbilical artery and collected from the umbilical veins.Placental cells collected by this method, which can be referred to as a“closed circuit” method, are typically almost exclusively fetal.

The closed circuit perfusion method can, in one embodiment, be performedas follows. A post-partum placenta is obtained within about 48 hoursafter birth. The umbilical cord is clamped and cut above the clamp. Theumbilical cord can be discarded, or can processed to recover, e.g.,umbilical cord stem cells, and/or to process the umbilical cord membranefor the production of a biomaterial. The amniotic membrane can beretained during perfusion, or can be separated from the chorion, e.g.,using blunt dissection with the fingers. If the amniotic membrane isseparated from the chorion prior to perfusion, it can be, e.g.,discarded, or processed, e.g., to obtain stem cells by enzymaticdigestion, or to produce, e.g., an amniotic membrane biomaterial, e.g.,the biomaterial described in U.S. Application Publication No.2004/0048796. After cleaning the placenta of all visible blood clots andresidual blood, e.g., using sterile gauze, the umbilical cord vesselsare exposed, e.g., by partially cutting the umbilical cord membrane toexpose a cross-section of the cord. The vessels are identified, andopened, e.g., by advancing a closed alligator clamp through the cut endof each vessel. The apparatus, e.g., plastic tubing connected to aperfusion device or peristaltic pump, is then inserted into each of theplacental arteries. The pump can be any pump suitable for the purpose,e.g., a peristaltic pump. Plastic tubing, connected to a sterilecollection reservoir, e.g., a blood bag such as a 250 mL collection bag,is then inserted into the placental vein. Alternatively, the tubingconnected to the pump is inserted into the placental vein and tubes to acollection reservoir(s) are inserted into one or both of the placentalarteries. The placenta is then perfused with a volume of perfusionsolution, e.g., about 750 ml of perfusion solution. Cells in theperfusate are then collected, e.g., by centrifugation.

In one embodiment, the proximal umbilical cord is clamped duringperfusion, and more preferably, is clamped within 4-5 cm (centimeter) ofthe cord's insertion into the placental disc.

The first collection of perfusion fluid from a mammalian placenta duringthe exsanguination process is generally colored with residual red bloodcells of the cord blood and/or placental blood. The perfusion fluidbecomes more colorless as perfusion proceeds and the residual cord bloodcells are washed out of the placenta. Generally from 30 to 100 mL ofperfusion fluid is adequate to initially flush blood from the placenta,but more or less perfusion fluid may be used depending on the observedresults.

The volume of perfusion liquid used to perfuse the placenta may varydepending upon the number of placental cells to be collected, the sizeof the placenta, the number of collections to be made from a singleplacenta, etc. In various embodiments, the volume of perfusion liquidmay be from 50 mL to 5000 mL, 50 mL to 4000 mL, 50 mL to 3000 mL, 100 mLto 2000 mL, 250 mL to 2000 mL, 500 mL to 2000 mL, or 750 mL to 2000 mL.Typically, the placenta is perfused with 700-800 mL of perfusion liquidfollowing exsanguination.

The placenta can be perfused a plurality of times over the course ofseveral hours or several days. Where the placenta is to be perfused aplurality of times, it may be maintained or cultured under asepticconditions in a container or other suitable vessel, and perfused with acell collection composition, or a standard perfusion solution (e.g., anormal saline solution such as phosphate buffered saline (“PBS”) with orwithout an anticoagulant (e.g., heparin, warfarin sodium, coumarin,bishydroxycoumarin), and/or with or without an antimicrobial agent(e.g., β-mercaptoethanol (0.1 mM); antibiotics such as streptomycin(e.g., at 40-100 μg/ml), penicillin (e.g., at 40 U/ml), amphotericin B(e.g., at 0.5 μg/ml). In one embodiment, an isolated placenta ismaintained or cultured for a period of time without collecting theperfusate, such that the placenta is maintained or cultured for 1, 2, 3,4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22,23, or 24 hours, or 2 or 3 or more days before perfusion and collectionof perfusate. The perfused placenta can be maintained for one or moreadditional time(s), e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14,15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 or more hours, and perfused asecond time with, e.g., 700-800 mL perfusion fluid. The placenta can beperfused 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or more times, for example, once every 1, 2, 3,4, 5 or 6 hours. In a preferred embodiment, perfusion of the placentaand collection of perfusion solution, e.g., placental cell collectioncomposition, is repeated until the number of recovered nucleated cellsfalls below 100 cells/ml. The perfusates at different time points can befurther processed individually to recover time-dependent populations ofcells, e.g., total nucleated cells. Perfusates from different timepoints can also be pooled.

5.1.4. Placental Perfusate and Placental Perfusate Cells

Placental perfusate comprises a heterogeneous collection of cells.Typically, placental perfusate is depleted of erythrocytes prior to use.Such depletion can be carried out by known methods of separating redblood cells from nucleated blood cells. In certain embodiment, theperfusate or perfusate cells are cryopreserved. In certain otherembodiments, the placental perfusate comprises, or the perfusate cellscomprise, only fetal cells, or a combination of fetal cells and maternalcells.

Typically, placental perfusate from a single placental perfusioncomprises about 100 million to about 500 million nucleated cells. Incertain embodiments, the placental perfusate or perfusate cells compriseCD34⁺ cells, e.g., hematopoietic stem or progenitor cells. Such cellscan, in a more specific embodiment, comprise CD34⁺CD45⁻ stem orprogenitor cells, CD34⁺CD45⁺ stem or progenitor cells, myeloidprogenitors, lymphoid progenitors, and/or erythroid progenitors. Inother embodiments, placental perfusate and placental perfusate cellscomprise adherent placental stem cells, e.g., CD34⁻ stem cells. In otherembodiment, the placental perfusate and placental perfusate cellscomprise, e.g., endothelial progenitor cells, osteoprogenitor cells, andnatural killer cells. In certain embodiments, placental perfusate ascollected from the placenta and depleted of erythrocytes, or perfusatecells isolated from such perfusate, comprise about 6-7% natural killercells (CD3⁻, CD56⁺); about 21-22% T cells (CD3⁺); about 6-7% B cells(CD19⁺); about 1-2% endothelial progenitor cells (CD34⁺, CD31⁺); about2-3% neural progenitor cells (nestin⁺); about 2-5% hematopoieticprogenitor cells (CD34⁺); and about 0.5-1.5% adherent placental stemcells (e.g., CD34⁻, CD117⁻, CD105⁺ and CD44⁺), as determined, e.g. byflow cytometry, e.g., by FACS analysis.

5.2. Disruption and Digestion of Placental Tissue to Obtain PINK Cells

Placental natural killer cells, e.g., PINK cells, can be obtained fromplacental tissue that has been mechanically and/or enzymaticallydisrupted.

Placental tissue can be disrupted using one or more tissue-degradingenzymes, e.g., a metalloprotease, a serine protease, a neutral protease,an RNase, or a DNase, or the like. Such enzymes include, but are notlimited to, collagenases (e.g. collagenase I, II, III or IV, acollagenase from Clostridium histolyticum, etc.); dispase, thermolysin,elastase, trypsin, LIBERASE, hyaluronidase, and the like. Typicallyafter digestion, the digested tissue is passed through a strainer orfilter to remove partially-digested cell clumps, leaving a substantiallysingle-celled suspension.

After a suspension of placental cells is obtained, natural killer cellscan be isolated using, e.g., antibodies to CD3 and CD56. In a specificembodiment, placental natural killer cells are isolated by selecting forcells that are CD56⁺ to produce a first cell population; contacting saidfirst cell population with antibodies specific for CD3 and/or CD16; andremoving cells from said first cell population that are CD3+ or CD56⁺,thereby producing a second population of cells that is substantiallyCD56⁺ and CD3⁻, CD56⁺ and CD16⁻, or CD56⁺, CD3⁻ and CD16⁻.

In one embodiment, magnetic beads are used to isolate placental naturalkiller cells from a suspension of placental cells. The cells may beisolated, e.g., using a magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS)technique, a method for separating particles based on their ability tobind magnetic beads (e.g., about 0.5-100 μm diameter) that comprise oneor more specific antibodies, e.g., anti-CD56 antibodies. A variety ofuseful modifications can be performed on the magnetic microspheres,including covalent addition of antibody that specifically recognizes aparticular cell surface molecule or hapten. The beads are then mixedwith the cells to allow binding. Cells are then passed through amagnetic field to separate out cells having the specific cell surfacemarker. In one embodiment, these cells can then isolated and re-mixedwith magnetic beads coupled to an antibody against additional cellsurface markers. The cells are again passed through a magnetic field,isolating cells that bound both the antibodies. Such cells can then bediluted into separate dishes, such as microtiter dishes for clonalisolation.

5.3. Placental Natural Killer Cells

In one aspect, provided herein is the isolation, characterization, anduse of natural killer cells obtainable from placenta, e.g., fromplacental perfusate and/or from mechanically and/orenzymatically-disrupted placental tissue, and of compositions comprisingsuch natural killer cells. In a specific embodiment, the placentalnatural killer cells are “placental intermediate natural killer cells,”or “PINK” cells, are characterized as being CD56⁺CD16⁻, i.e., displayingthe CD56 cellular marker and lacking the CD16 cellular marker, e.g., asdetermined by flow cytometry, e.g., fluorescence-activated cell sortingusing antibodies against CD16 and CD56, as described above. As such,provided herein are isolated PINK cells and isolated pluralities of PINKcells. Also provided herein are isolated pluralities of cells comprisingCD56⁺CD16⁻ PINK cells in combination with CD56⁺CD16⁺ natural killercells. In more specific embodiments, the CD56⁺CD16⁺ natural killer cellscan be isolated from placenta, or from another source, e.g., peripheralblood, umbilical cord blood, bone marrow, or the like. Thus, in variousother embodiments, PINK cells can be combined with CD56⁺CD16⁺ naturalkiller cells, e.g., in ratios of, for example, about 1:10, 2:9, 3:8,4:7, 5:6, 6:5, 7:4, 8:3, 9:2, 1:10, 1:9, 1:8, 1:7, 1:6, 1:5, 1:4, 1:3,1:2, 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1, 6:1, 7:1, 8:1 or about 9:1. As used inthis context, “isolated” means that the cells have been removed fromtheir normal environment, e.g., the placenta.

In certain embodiments, the PINK cells are CD3⁻.

In other embodiments, the PINK cells do not exhibit one or more cellularmarkers exhibited by fully mature natural killer cells (e.g., CD16), orexhibit such one or more markers at a detectably reduced level comparedto fully mature natural killer cells, or exhibit one or more cellularmarkers associated with natural killer cell precursors but not fullymature natural killer cells. In a specific embodiment, a PINK cellprovided herein expresses NKG2D, CD94 and/or NKp46 at a detectably lowerlevel than a fully mature NK cell. In another specific embodiment, aplurality of PINK cells provided herein expresses, in total, NKG2D, CD94and/or NKp46 at a detectably lower level than an equivalent number offully mature NK cells.

In certain embodiments, PINK cells express one or more of the microRNAshsa-miR-100, hsa-miR-127, hsa-miR-211, hsa-miR-302c, hsa-miR-326,hsa-miR-337, hsa-miR-497, hsa-miR-512-3p, hsa-miR-515-5p, hsa-miR-517b,hsa-miR-517c, hsa-miR-518a, hsa-miR-518e, hsa-miR-519d, hsa-miR-520g,hsa-miR-520h, hsa-miR-564, hsa-miR-566, hsa-miR-618, and/or hsa-miR-99aat a detectably higher level than peripheral blood natural killer cells.

In certain embodiments, the placental natural killer cells, e.g., PINKcells, have been expanded in culture. In certain other embodiments, theplacental perfusate cells have been expanded in culture. In a specificembodiment, said placental perfusate cells have been expanded in thepresence of a feeder layer and/or in the presence of at least onecytokine. In a more specific embodiment, said feeder layer comprisesK562 cells or peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In another morespecific embodiment, said at least one cytokine is interleukin-2.

In another embodiment, provided herein is an isolated plurality (e.g.,population) of PINK cells. In another specific embodiment, the isolatedpopulation of cells is produced by CD56-microbead isolation of cellsfrom placental perfusate. In various specific embodiments, thepopulation comprises at least about 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%,85%, 90%, 95%, 98% or at least about 99% PINK cells. In anotherembodiment, the plurality of PINK cells comprises, or consists of, PINKcells that have not been expanded; e.g., are as collected from placentalperfusate. In another embodiment, the plurality of PINK cells comprise,or consist of, PINK cells that have been expanded. Methods of expandingnatural killer cells have been described, e.g., in Ohno et al., U.S.Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0157713; see also Yssel et al.,J. Immunol. Methods 72(1):219-227 (1984) and Litwin et al., J. Exp. Med.178(4):1321-1326 (1993) and the description of natural killer cellexpansion in Example 1, below.

In other embodiments, the isolated plurality of PINK cells does notexhibit one or more cellular markers exhibited by fully mature naturalkiller cells (e.g., CD16), or exhibits such one or more markers at adetectably reduced level compared to fully mature natural killer cells,or exhibits one or more cellular markers associated with natural killercell precursors but not associated with fully mature natural killercells. In a specific embodiment, a PINK cell provided herein expressesNKG2D, CD94 and/or NKp46 at a detectably lower level than a fully matureNK cell. In another specific embodiment, a plurality of PINK cellsprovided herein expresses, in total, NKG2D, CD94 and/or NKp46 at adetectably lower level than an equivalent number of fully mature NKcells.

In certain specific embodiments, the population of PINK cells expressesone or more of the microRNAs hsa-miR-100, hsa-miR-127, hsa-miR-211,hsa-miR-302c, hsa-miR-326, hsa-miR-337, hsa-miR-497, hsa-miR-512-3p,hsa-miR-515-5p, hsa-miR-517b, hsa-miR-517c, hsa-miR-518a, hsa-miR-518e,hsa-miR-519d, hsa-miR-520g, hsa-miR-520h, hsa-miR-564, hsa-miR-566,hsa-miR-618, and/or hsa-miR-99a at a detectably higher level thanperipheral blood natural killer cells. In another specific embodiment,the population of PINK cells expresses a detectably higher amount ofgranzyme B than an equivalent number of peripheral blood natural killercells.

In other embodiments, the PINK cells provided herein have been expandedin culture. In specific embodiments, the PINK cells have been cultured,e.g., expanded in culture, for at least, about, or at most 1, 2, 3, 4,5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23,24, 25, 26, 27 or 28 days. In a specific embodiment, the PINK cells arecultured for about 21 days.

In another embodiment, provided herein is an isolated population ofcells, e.g., placental cells, comprising PINK cells. In a specificembodiment, the isolated population of cells is total nucleated cellsfrom placental perfusate, e.g., placental perfusate cells, comprisingautologous, isolated PINK cells. In another specific embodiment, thepopulation of cells is an isolated population of cells produced byCD56-microbead isolation of cells from placental perfusate. In variousspecific embodiments, the population comprises at least about 50%, 55%,60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 98% or at least about 99% PINKcells.

Because the post-partum placenta comprises tissue and cells from thefetus and from the mother placental perfusate, depending upon the methodof collection, can comprise fetal cells only, or a substantial majorityof fetal cells (e.g., greater than about 90%, 95%, 98% or 99%), or cancomprise a mixture of fetal and maternal cells (e.g., the fetal cellscomprise less than about 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%, or 50% of the totalnucleated cells of the perfusate). In one embodiment, the PINK cells arederived only from fetal placental cells, e.g., cells obtained fromclosed-circuit perfusion of the placenta (see above) wherein theperfusion produces perfusate comprising a substantial majority, or only,fetal placental cells. In another embodiment, the PINK cells are derivedfrom fetal and maternal cells, e.g., cells obtained by perfusion by thepan method (see above), wherein the perfusion produced perfusatecomprising a mix of fetal and maternal placental cells. Thus, in oneembodiment, provided herein is a population of placenta-derivedintermediate natural killer cells, the substantial majority of whichhave the fetal genotype. In another embodiment, provided herein is apopulation of placenta-derived intermediate natural killer cells thatcomprise natural killer cells having the fetal genotype and naturalkiller cells having the maternal phenotype.

Also provided herein are populations of placenta-derived intermediatenatural killer cells that comprise natural killer cells from anon-placental source. For example, in one embodiment, provided herein ispopulation of PINK cells that also comprises natural killer cells fromumbilical cord blood, peripheral blood, bone marrow, or a combination oftwo or more of the foregoing. The populations of natural killer cellscomprising PINK cells and natural killer cells from a non-placentalsource can comprise the cells in, e.g., a ratio of about 1:10, 2:9, 3:8,4:7, 5:6, 6:5, 7:4, 8:3, 9:2, 10:1, 1:9, 1:8, 1:7, 1:6, 1:5, 1:4, 1:3,1:2, 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1, 6:1, 7:1, 8:1, 9:1, 100:1, 95:5, 90:10,85:15, 80:20, 75:25, 70:30, 65:35, 60:40, 55:45: 50:50, 45:55, 40:60,35:65, 30:70, 25:75, 20:80, 15:85, 10:90, 5:95, 100:1, 95:1, 90:1, 85:1,80:1, 75:1, 70:1, 65:1, 60:1, 55:1, 50:1, 45:1, 40:1, 35:1, 30:1, 25:1,20:1, 15:1, 10:1, 5:1, 1:1, 1:5, 1:10, 1:15, 1:20, 1:25, 1:30, 1:35,1:40, 1:45, 1:50, 1:55, 1:60, 1:65, 1:70, 1:75, 1:80, 1:85, 1:90, 1:95,or about 1:100, or the like.

Further provided herein are combinations of umbilical cord blood andisolated PINK cells. In various embodiments, cord blood is combined withPINK cells at about 1×10⁴, 5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷,5×10⁷, 1×10⁸, or 5×10⁸, or more, PINK cells per milliliter of cordblood.

Also provided herein are methods of isolating PINK cells. In oneembodiment, PINK cells are collected by obtaining placental perfusate,then contacting the placental perfusate with a composition thatspecifically binds to CD56⁺ cells, e.g., an antibody against CD56,followed by isolating of CD56⁺ cells on the basis of said binding toform a population of CD56⁺ cells. The population of CD56⁺ cellscomprises an isolated population of natural killer cells. In a specificembodiment, CD56⁺ cells are contacted with a composition thatspecifically binds to CD16⁺ cells, e.g., an antibody against CD16, andthe CD16⁺ cells from the population of CD56⁺ cells. In another specificembodiment, CD3⁺ cells are also excluded from the population of CD56⁺cells.

In one embodiment, PINK cells are obtained from placental perfusate asfollows. Post-partum human placenta is exsanguinated and perfused, e.g.,with about 200-800 mL of perfusion solution, through the placentalvasculature only. In a specific embodiment, the placenta is drained ofcord blood and flushed, e.g., with perfusion solution, through theplacental vasculature to remove residual blood prior to said perfusing.The perfusate is collected and processed to remove any residualerythrocytes. Natural killer cells in the total nucleated cells in theperfusate can be isolated on the basis of expression of CD56 and CD16.In certain embodiments, the isolation of PINK cells comprises isolationusing an antibody to CD56, wherein the isolated cells are CD56⁺. Inanother embodiment, the isolation of PINK cells comprises isolationusing an antibody to CD16, wherein the isolated cells are CD16⁻. Inanother embodiment, the isolation of PINK cells comprises isolationusing an antibody to CD56, and exclusion of a plurality of non-PINKcells using an antibody to CD16, wherein the isolated cells compriseCD56⁺, CD16⁻ cells.

Cell separation can be accomplished by any method known in the art,e.g., fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), or, preferably,magnetic cell sorting using microbeads conjugated with specificantibodies. Magnetic cell separation can be performed and automatedusing, e.g., an AUTOMACS™ Separator (Miltenyi).

In another aspect, provided herein is a method of isolating placentalnatural killer cells, comprising obtaining a plurality of placentalcells, and isolating natural killer cells from said plurality ofplacental cells. In a specific embodiment, the placental cells are, orcomprise, placental perfusate cells, e.g., total nucleated cells fromplacental perfusate. In another specific embodiment, said plurality ofplacental cells are, or comprise, placental cells obtained by mechanicaland/or enzymatic digestion of placental tissue. In another embodiment,said isolating is performed using one or more antibodies. In a morespecific embodiment, said one or more antibodies comprises one or moreof antibodies to CD3, CD16 or CD56. In a more specific embodiment, saidisolating comprises isolating CD56⁺ cells from CD56⁻ cells in saidplurality of placental cells. In a more specific embodiment, saidisolating comprises isolating CD56⁺, CD16⁻ placental cells, e.g.,placental natural killer cells, e.g., PINK cells, from placental cellsthat are CD56⁻ or CD16⁺. In a more specific embodiment, said isolatingcomprises isolating CD56⁺, CD16⁻, CD3⁻ placental cells from placentalcells that are CD56⁻, CD16⁺, or CD3⁺. In another embodiment, said methodof isolating placental natural killer cells results in a population ofplacental cells that is at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%,90%, 95%, 98% or at least 99% CD56⁺, CD16⁻ natural killer cells.

5.4. Placental Natural Killer Cells from Matched Perfusate and CordBlood

Further provided herein are natural killer cells obtained, andobtainable from, combinations of matched units of placental perfusateand umbilical cord blood, referred to herein as combined natural killercells. “Matched units,” as used herein, indicates that the NK cells areobtained from placental perfusate cells, and umbilical cord blood cells,wherein the umbilical cord blood cells are obtained from umbilical cordblood from the placenta from which the placental perfusate is obtained,i.e., the placental perfusate cells and umbilical cord blood cells, andthus the natural killer cells from each, are from the same individual.

In certain embodiments, the combined placental killer cells compriseonly, or substantially only, natural killer cells that are CD56⁺ andCD16⁻. In certain other embodiments, the combined placental killer cellscomprise NK cells that are CD56⁺ and CD16⁻, and NK cells that are CD56⁺and CD16⁺. In certain specific embodiments, the combined placentalkiller cells comprise at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%,98%, 99% or 99.5% CD56⁺CD16⁻ natural killer cells (PINK cells).

In one embodiment, the combined natural killer cells have not beencultured. In a specific embodiment, the combined natural killer cellscomprise a detectably higher number of CD3⁻CD56⁺CD16⁻ natural killercells than an equivalent number of natural killer cells from peripheralblood. In another specific embodiment, the combined natural killer cellscomprise a detectably lower number of CD3⁻CD56⁺CD16 natural killer cellsthan an equivalent number of natural killer cells from peripheral blood.In another specific embodiment, the combined natural killer cellscomprise a detectably higher number of CD3⁻CD56⁻KIR2DL2/L3⁺ naturalkiller cells than an equivalent number of natural killer cells fromperipheral blood. In another specific embodiment, the combined naturalkiller cells comprise a detectably lower number of CD3⁻CD56⁺NKp46⁺natural killer cells than an equivalent number of natural killer cellsfrom peripheral blood. In another specific embodiment, the combinednatural killer cells comprise a detectably lower number ofCD3⁻CD56⁺NKp30⁺ natural killer cells than an equivalent number ofnatural killer cells from peripheral blood. In another specificembodiment, the combined natural killer cells comprise a detectablylower number of CD3⁻CD56⁺2B4⁺ natural killer cells than an equivalentnumber of natural killer cells from peripheral blood. In anotherspecific embodiment, the combined natural killer cells comprise adetectably lower number of CD3⁻CD56⁺CD94⁺ natural killer cells than anequivalent number of natural killer cells from peripheral blood.

In another embodiment, the combined natural killer cells have beencultured, e.g., for 21 days. In a specific embodiment, the combinednatural killer cells comprise a detectably lower number ofCD3⁻CD56⁺KIR2DL2/L3⁺ natural killer cells than an equivalent number ofnatural killer cells from peripheral blood. In another specificembodiment, the combined natural killer cells have not been cultured. Inanother specific embodiment, the combined natural killer cells comprisea detectably higher number of CD3⁻CD56⁺NKp44⁺ natural killer cells thanan equivalent number of natural killer cells from peripheral blood. In aspecific embodiment, the combined natural killer cells comprise adetectably higher number of CD3⁻CD56⁺NKp30⁺ natural killer cells than anequivalent number of natural killer cells from peripheral blood.

In another embodiment, the combined natural killer cells express adetectably higher amount of granzyme B than an equivalent number ofperipheral blood natural killer cells.

Further provided herein are combinations of umbilical cord blood andcombined natural killer cells. In various embodiments, cord blood iscombined with combined natural killer cells at about 1×10⁴, 5×10⁴,1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷, 1×10⁸, 5×10⁸ combined naturalkiller cells per milliliter of cord blood.

5.5. Perfusate/Cell Combinations

In addition to placental perfusate, placental perfusate cells, combinednatural killer cells, and placental natural killer cells, e.g.,placental intermediate natural killer cells, provided herein arecompositions comprising the perfusate or cells, for use in suppressingthe proliferation of a tumor cell or plurality of tumor cells.

5.5.1. Combinations of Placental Perfusate, Perfusate Cells andPlacenta-Derived Intermediate Natural Killer Cells

Further provided herein are compositions comprising combinations of theplacental perfusate, placental perfusate cells, placental intermediatenatural killer cells, and/or combined natural killer cells described inSections 5.1, 5.3, or 5.4 above. In one embodiment, for example,provided herein is a volume of placental perfusate supplemented with aplurality of placental perfusate cells and/or a plurality of placentalnatural killer cells, e.g., placental intermediate natural killer cells,for example, obtained from placental perfusate cells or placental tissuemechanically or enzymatically disrupted. In specific embodiments, forexample, each milliliter of placental perfusate is supplemented withabout 1×10⁴, 5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷, 1×10⁸,5×10⁸ or more placental perfusate cells, placental intermediate naturalkiller cells, and/or combined natural killer cells. In anotherembodiment, a plurality of placental perfusate cells is supplementedwith placental perfusate, placental intermediate natural killer cells,and/or combined natural killer cells. In another embodiment, a pluralityof placental intermediate natural killer cells is supplemented withplacental perfusate, placental perfusate cells, and/or combined naturalkiller cells. In certain embodiments, when perfusate is used forsupplementation, the volume of perfusate is about, greater than about,or less than about, 50%, 45%, 40%, 35%, 30%, 25%, 20%, 15%, 10%, 8%, 6%,4%, 2% or 1% of the total volume of cells (in solution) plus perfusate.In certain other embodiments, when placental perfusate cells arecombined with a plurality of PINK cells and/or combined natural killercells, the placental perfusate cells generally comprise about, greaterthan about, or fewer than about, 50%, 45%, 40%, 35%, 30%, 25%, 20%, 15%,10%, 8%, 6%, 4%, 2% or 1% of the total number of cells. In certain otherembodiments, when PINK cells are combined with a plurality of placentalperfusate cells and/or combined natural killer cells, the PINK cellsgenerally comprise about, greater than about, or fewer than about, 50%,45%, 40%, 35%, 30%, 25%, 20%, 15%, 10%, 8%, 6%, 4%, 2% or 1% of thetotal number of cells. In certain other embodiments, when combinednatural killer cells are combined with PINK cells and/or placentalperfusate cells, the combined natural killer cells generally compriseabout, greater than about, or fewer than about, 50%, 45%, 40%, 35%, 30%,25%, 20%, 15%, 10%, 8%, 6%, 4%, 2% or 1% of the total number of cells.In certain other embodiments, when PINK cells, combined natural killercells or placental perfusate cells are used to supplement placentalperfusate, the volume of solution (e.g., saline solution, culture mediumor the like) in which the cells are suspended comprises about, greaterthan about, or less than about, 50%, 45%, 40%, 35%, 30%, 25%, 20%, 15%,10%, 8%, 6%, 4%, 2% or 1% of the total volume of perfusate plus cells,where the PINK cells are suspended to about 1×10⁴, 5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵,1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷, 1×1⁸, 5×1⁸ or more cells per milliliterprior to supplementation.

In other embodiments, any of the above combinations is, in turn,combined with umbilical cord blood or nucleated cells from umbilicalcord blood.

Further provided herein is pooled placental perfusate that is obtainedfrom two or more sources, e.g., two or more placentas, and combined,e.g., pooled. Such pooled perfusate can comprise approximately equalvolumes of perfusate from each source, or can comprise different volumesfrom each source. The relative volumes from each source can be randomlyselected, or can be based upon, e.g., a concentration or amount of oneor more cellular factors, e.g., cytokines, growth factors, hormones, orthe like; the number of placental cells in perfusate from each source;or other characteristics of the perfusate from each source. Perfusatefrom multiple perfusions of the same placenta can similarly be pooled.

Similarly, provided herein are placental perfusate cells, andplacenta-derived intermediate natural killer cells, that are obtainedfrom two or more sources, e.g., two or more placentas, and pooled. Suchpooled cells can comprise approximately equal numbers of cells from thetwo or more sources, or different numbers of cells from one or more ofthe pooled sources. The relative numbers of cells from each source canbe selected based on, e.g., the number of one or more specific celltypes in the cells to be pooled, e.g., the number of CD34⁺ cells, thenumber of CD56⁺ cells, etc.

Pools can comprise, e.g., placental perfusate supplemented withplacental perfusate cells; placental perfusate supplemented withplacenta-derived intermediate natural killer (PINK) cells; placentalperfusate supplemented with both placental perfusate cells and PINKcells; placental perfusate cells supplemented with placental perfusate;placental perfusate cells supplemented with PINK cells; placentalperfusate cells supplemented with both placental perfusate and PINKcells; PINK cells supplemented with placental perfusate; PINK cellssupplemented with placental perfusate cells; or PINK cells supplementedwith both placental perfusate cells and placental perfusate.

Further provided herein are placental perfusate, placental perfusatecells, and placental intermediate natural killer cells, and pools of thesame or combinations of the same, that have been assayed to determinethe degree or amount of tumor suppression (that is, the potency) to beexpected from, e.g., a given number of placental perfusate or PINKcells, or a given volume of perfusate. For example, an aliquot or samplenumber of cells is contacted with a known number of tumor cells underconditions in which the tumor cells would otherwise proliferate, and therate of proliferation of the tumor cells in the presence of placentalperfusate, perfusate cells, placental natural killer cells, orcombinations thereof, over time (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10weeks, or longer) is compared to the proliferation of an equivalentnumber of the tumor cells in the absence of perfusate, perfusate cells,placental natural killer cells, or combinations thereof. The potency ofthe placental perfusate, placental perfusate cells and/or PINK cells, orcombinations or pools of the same, can be expressed, e.g., as the numberof cells or volume of solution required to suppress tumor cell growth,e.g., by about 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, or the like.

In certain embodiments, placental perfusate, placental perfusate cells,and PINK cells are provided as pharmaceutical grade administrable units.Such units can be provided in discrete volumes, e.g., 100 mL, 150 mL,200 mL, 250 mL, 300 mL, 350 mL, 400 mL, 450 mL, 500 mL, or the like.Such units can be provided so as to contain a specified number of, e.g.,placental perfusate cells, placental intermediate natural killer cells,or both, e.g., 1×10⁴, 5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷,1×10⁸, 5×10⁸ or more cells per milliliter, or 1×10⁴, 5×10⁴, 1×10⁵,5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷, 1×10⁸, 5×10⁸, 1×10⁹, 5×10⁹, 1×10¹⁰,5×10¹⁰, 1×10¹¹ or more cells per unit. Such units can be provided tocontain specified numbers of any two, or all three, of placentalperfusate, placental perfusate cells, and/or PINK cells.

In the above combinations of placental perfusate, placental perfusatecells and/or PINK cells, any one, any two, or all three of the placentalperfusate, placental perfusate cells and/or PINK cells can be autologousto a recipient (that is, obtained from the recipient), or homologous toa recipient (that is, obtained from at last one other individual fromsaid recipient).

Any of the above combinations or pools of PINK cells, placentalperfusate cells and/or placental perfusate can comprise CD56⁺CD16⁺natural killer cells from, e.g., placental perfusate, peripheral blood,umbilical cord blood, bone marrow, or the like. In specific embodiments,the combinations comprise about, at least about, or at most about 1×10⁴,5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶ or more such natural killer cells permilliliter, or 1×10⁴, 5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷,1×10⁸, 5×10⁸, 1×10⁹, 5×10⁹, 1×10¹⁰, 5×10¹⁰, 1×10¹¹ or more cells perunit. The CD56⁺CD16⁺ natural killer cells can be used as isolated from anatural source, or can be expanded prior to inclusion in one of theabove combinations or pools. The CD56⁺CD16⁺ NK cells can be autologous(that is, obtained from the same individual as the placental perfusate,placental perfusate cells and/or PINK cells; or obtained from arecipient) or homologous (that is, derived from an individual differentfrom the placental perfusate, placental perfusate cells and/or PINKcells; or from an individual that is not recipient).

Preferably, each unit is labeled to specify volume, number of cells,type of cells, whether the unit has been enriched for a particular typeof cell, and/or potency of a given number of cells in the unit, or agiven number of milliliters of the unit, causes a measurable suppressionof proliferation of a particular type or types of tumor cell.

Also provided herein are compositions comprising placental intermediatenatural killer cells, alone or in combination with placental perfusatecells and/or placental perfusate. Thus, in another aspect, providedherein is a composition comprising isolated CD56⁺, CD16⁻ natural killercells, wherein said natural killer cells are isolated from placentalperfusate, and wherein said natural killer cells comprise at least 50%of cells in the composition. In a specific embodiment, said naturalkiller cells comprise at least 80% of cells in the composition. Inanother specific embodiment, said composition comprises isolated CD56⁺,CD16⁺ natural killer cells. In a more specific embodiment, said CD56⁺,CD16⁺ natural killer cells are from a different individual than saidCD56⁺, CD16⁻ natural killer cells. In another specific embodiment, saidnatural killer cells are from a single individual. In a more specificembodiment, said isolated natural killer cells comprise natural killercells from at least two different individuals. In another specificembodiment, the composition comprises isolated placental perfusate. In amore specific embodiment, said placental perfusate is from the sameindividual as said natural killer cells. In another more specificembodiment, said placental perfusate comprises placental perfusate froma different individual than said natural killer cells. In anotherspecific embodiment, the composition comprises placental perfusatecells. In a more specific embodiment, said placental perfusate cells arefrom the same individual as said natural killer cells. In another morespecific embodiment, said placental perfusate cells are from a differentindividual than said natural killer cells. In another specificembodiment, the composition additionally comprises isolated placentalperfusate and isolated placental perfusate cells, wherein said isolatedperfusate and said isolated placental perfusate cells are from differentindividuals. In another more specific embodiment of any of the aboveembodiments comprising placental perfusate, said placental perfusatecomprises placental perfusate from at least two individuals. In anothermore specific embodiment of any of the above embodiments comprisingplacental perfusate cells, said isolated placental perfusate cells arefrom at least two individuals.

5.5.2. Compositions Comprising Adherent Placental Stem Cells

In other embodiments, the placental perfusate, plurality of placentalperfusate cells, and/or plurality of PINK cells, or a combination orpool of any of the foregoing, is supplemented with adherent placentalstem cells. Such stem cells are described, e.g., in Hariri U.S. Pat.Nos. 7,045,148 and 7,255,879. Adherent placental stem cells are nottrophoblasts.

The placental perfusate, plurality of placental perfusate cells, and/orplurality of PINK cells, or a combination or pool of any of theforegoing can be supplemented with, e.g., 1×10⁴, 5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵,1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷, 1×10⁸, 5×10⁸ or more cells per milliliter,or 1×10⁴, 5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷, 1×10⁸, 5×10⁸,1×10⁹, 5×10⁹, 1×10¹⁰, 5×10¹⁰, 1×10¹¹ or more adherent placental cells.The adherent placental stem cells in the combinations can be, e.g.,adherent placental stem cells that have been cultured for, e.g., 1, 2,3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34,36, 38, or 40 population doublings, or more.

Adherent placental stem cells, when cultured in primary cultures or incell culture, adhere to the tissue culture substrate, e.g., tissueculture container surface (e.g., tissue culture plastic). Adherentplacental stem cells in culture assume a generally fibroblastoid,stellate appearance, with a number of cytoplasmic processes extendingfrom the central cell body. Adherent placental stem cells are, however,morphologically distinguishable from fibroblasts cultured under the sameconditions, as the placental stem cells exhibit a greater number of suchprocesses than do fibroblasts. Morphologically, placental stem cells arealso distinguishable from hematopoietic stem cells, which generallyassume a more rounded, or cobblestone, morphology in culture.

Adherent placental stem cells, and populations of placental stem cells,useful in the compositions and methods provided herein, express aplurality of markers that can be used to identify and/or isolate thestem cells, or populations of cells that comprise the stem cells. Theadherent placental stem cells, and adherent stem cell populations usefulin the compositions and methods provided herein include stem cells andstem cell-containing cell populations obtained directly from theplacenta, or any part thereof (e.g., amnion, chorion, amnion-chorionplate, placental cotyledons, umbilical cord, and the like). The adherentplacental stem cell population, in one embodiment, is a population (thatis, two or more) of adherent placental stem cells in culture, e.g., apopulation in a container, e.g., a bag.

Adherent placental stem cells generally express the markers CD73, CD105,CD200, HLA-G, and/or OCT-4, and do not express CD34, CD38, or CD45.Adherent placental stem cells can also express HLA-ABC (MHC-1) andHLA-DR. These markers can be used to identify adherent placental stemcells, and to distinguish placental stem cells from other stem celltypes. Because the placental stem cells can express CD73 and CD105, theycan have mesenchymal stem cell-like characteristics. However, becausethe adherent placental stem cells can express CD200 and HLA-G, afetal-specific marker, they can be distinguished from mesenchymal stemcells, e.g., bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells, which expressneither CD200 nor HLA-G. In the same manner, the lack of expression ofCD34, CD38 and/or CD45 identifies the adherent placental stem cells asnon-hematopoietic stem cells.

In one embodiment, the adherent placental stem cells are CD200⁺, HLA-G⁺,wherein the stem cells detectably suppress cancer cell proliferation ortumor growth. In a specific embodiment, said adherent stem cells arealso CD73⁺ and CD105⁺. In another specific embodiment, said adherentstem cells are also CD34⁻, CD38⁻ or CD45⁻. In a more specificembodiment, said adherent stem cells are also CD34⁻, CD38⁻, CD45⁻, CD73⁺and CD105⁺. In another embodiment, said adherent stem cells produce oneor more embryoid-like bodies when cultured under conditions that allowthe formation of embryoid-like bodies.

In another embodiment, the adherent placental stem cells are CD73⁺,CD105⁺, CD200⁺, wherein said stem cells detectably suppress cancer cellproliferation or tumor growth. In a specific embodiment of saidpopulations, said adherent stem cells are HLA-G⁺. In another specificembodiment, said adherent stem cells are CD34⁻, CD38⁻ or CD45⁻. Inanother specific embodiment, said adherent stem cells are CD34⁻, CD38⁻and CD45⁻. In a more specific embodiment, said adherent stem cells areCD34⁻, CD38⁻, CD45⁻, and HLA-G⁺. In another specific embodiment, saidadherent placental stem cells produce one or more embryoid-like bodieswhen cultured under conditions that allow the formation of embryoid-likebodies.

In another embodiment, the adherent placental stem cells are CD200⁺,OCT-4⁺, wherein said stem cells detectably suppress cancer cellproliferation or tumor growth. In a specific embodiment, said adherentstem cells are CD73⁺ and CD105⁺. In another specific embodiment, saidadherent stem cells are HLA-G⁺. In another specific embodiment, saidadherent stem cells are CD34⁻, CD38⁻ and CD45⁻. In a more specificembodiment, said adherent stem cells are CD34⁻, CD38⁻, CD45⁻, CD73⁺,CD105⁺ and HLA-G⁺. In another specific embodiment, the adherentplacental stem cells produce one or more embryoid-like bodies whencultured under conditions that allow the formation of embryoid-likebodies.

In another embodiment, the adherent placental stem cells are CD73⁺,CD105⁺ and HLA-G⁺, wherein said adherent stem cells detectably suppresscancer cell proliferation or tumor growth. In a specific embodiment ofthe above plurality, said adherent stem cells are also CD34⁻, CD38⁻ orCD45⁻. In another specific embodiment, said adherent stem cells are alsoCD34⁻, CD38⁻ and CD45⁻. In another specific embodiment, said adherentstem cells are also OCT-4⁺. In another specific embodiment, saidadherent stem cells are also CD200⁺. In a more specific embodiment, saidadherent stem cells are also CD34⁻, CD38⁻, CD45⁻, OCT-4⁺ and CD200⁺.

In another embodiment, the adherent placental stem cells are CD73⁺,CD105⁺ stem cells, wherein said stem cells produce one or moreembryoid-like bodies under conditions that allow formation ofembryoid-like bodies, and wherein said adherent stem cells detectablysuppress cancer cell proliferation or tumor growth. In a specificembodiment, said adherent stem cells are also CD34⁻, CD38⁻ or CD45⁻. Inanother specific embodiment, said adherent stem cells are also CD34⁻,CD38⁻ and CD45⁻. In another specific embodiment, said adherent stemcells are also OCT-4⁺. In a more specific embodiment, said adherent stemcells are also OCT-4⁺, CD34⁻, CD38⁻ and CD45⁻.

In another embodiment, the adherent placental stem cells are OCT-4⁺ stemcells, wherein said adherent placental stem cells produce one or moreembryoid-like bodies when cultured under conditions that allow theformation of embryoid-like bodies, and wherein said stem cells have beenidentified as detectably suppressing cancer cell proliferation or tumorgrowth.

In various embodiments, at least 10%, at least 20%, at least 30%, atleast 40%, at least 50% at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, atleast 90%, or at least 95% of said isolated placental cells are OCT4⁺stem cells. In a specific embodiment of the above populations, said stemcells are CD73⁺ and CD105⁺. In another specific embodiment, said stemcells are CD34⁻, CD38⁻, or CD45⁻. In another specific embodiment, saidstem cells are CD200⁺. In a more specific embodiment, said stem cellsare CD73⁺, CD105⁺, CD200⁺, CD34⁻, CD38⁻, and CD45⁻. In another specificembodiment, said population has been expanded, for example, passaged atleast once, at least three times, at least five times, at least 10times, at least 15 times, or at least 20 times.

In a more specific embodiment of any of the above embodiments, theadherent placental cells express ABC-p (a placenta-specific ABCtransporter protein; see, e.g., Allikmets et al., Cancer Res.58(23):5337-9 (1998)).

In another embodiment, the adherent placental stem cells are CD29⁺,CD44⁺, CD73⁺, CD90⁺, CD105⁺, CD200⁺, CD34⁻ and CD133⁻. In anotherembodiment, the adherent placental stem cells, the placental stem cellsconstitutively secrete IL-6, IL-8 and monocyte chemoattractant protein(MCP-1).

Each of the above-referenced placental stem cells can comprise placentalstem cells obtained and isolated directly from a mammalian placenta, orplacental stem cells that have been cultured and passaged at least 1, 2,3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 25, 30 or more times, or acombination thereof. Tumor cell suppressive pluralities of the adherentplacental stem cells described above can comprise about, at least, or nomore than, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷, 1×10⁸, 5×10⁸,1×10⁹, 5×10⁹, 1×10¹⁰, 5×10¹⁰, 1×10¹¹ or more adherent placental stemcells.

5.5.3. Compositions Comprising Placental Stem Cell Conditioned Media

Also provided herein is the use of a tumor-suppressive compositioncomprising PINK cells, placental perfusate and/or placental perfusate,and additionally conditioned medium. Adherent placental stem cells,placental perfusate cells and/or placental intermediate natural killercells can be used to produce conditioned medium that is tumor cellsuppressive, that is, medium comprising one or more biomoleculessecreted or excreted by the stem cells that have a detectable tumor cellsuppressive effect on a plurality of one or more types of immune cells.In various embodiments, the conditioned medium comprises medium in whichplacental cells (e.g., stem cells, placental perfusate cells, PINKcells) have grown for at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12,13, 14 or more days. In other embodiments, the conditioned mediumcomprises medium in which placental cells have grown to at least 30%,40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90% confluence, or up to 100% confluence. Suchconditioned medium can be used to support the culture of a separatepopulation of placental cells, or cells of another kind. In anotherembodiment, the conditioned medium provided herein comprises medium inwhich adherent placental stem cells and non-placental stem cells havebeen cultured.

Such conditioned medium can be combined with any of, or any combinationof, placental perfusate, placental perfusate cells, and/or placentalintermediate natural killer cells to form a tumor cell suppressivecomposition. In certain embodiments, the composition comprises less thanhalf conditioned medium by volume, e.g., about, or less than about, 50%,45%, 40%, 35%, 30%, 25%, 20%, 15%, 10%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, or 1% by volume.

Thus, in one embodiment, provided herein is a composition comprisingculture medium from a culture of placental stem cells, wherein saidplacental stem cells (a) adhere to a substrate; (b) express CD200 andHLA-G, or express CD73, CD 105, and CD200, or express CD200 and OCT-4,or express CD73, CD 105, and HLA-G, or express CD73 and CD 105 andfacilitate the formation of one or more embryoid-like bodies in apopulation of placental cells that comprise the placental stem cells,when said population is cultured under conditions that allow formationof embryoid-like bodies, or express OCT-4 and facilitate the formationof one or more embryoid-like bodies in a population of placental cellsthat comprise the placental stem cells when said population is culturedunder conditions that allow formation of embryoid-like bodies; and (c)detectably suppress the growth or proliferation of a tumor cell orpopulation of tumor cells. In a specific embodiment, the compositionfurther comprises a plurality of said placental stem cells. In anotherspecific embodiment, the composition comprises a plurality ofnon-placental cells. In a more specific embodiment, said non-placentalcells comprise CD34+ cells, e.g., hematopoietic progenitor cells, suchas peripheral blood hematopoietic progenitor cells, cord bloodhematopoietic progenitor cells, or placental blood hematopoieticprogenitor cells. The non-placental cells can also comprise other stemcells, such as mesenchymal stem cells, e.g., bone marrow-derivedmesenchymal stem cells. The non-placental cells can also be one or moretypes of adult cells or cell lines. In another specific embodiment, thecomposition comprises an anti-proliferative agent, e.g., an anti-MIP-1αor anti-MIP-1β antibody.

In a specific embodiment, placental cell-conditioned culture medium orsupernatant is obtained from a plurality of placental stem cellsco-cultured with a plurality of tumor cells at a ratio of about 1:1,about 2:1, about 3:1, about 4:1, or about 5:1 placental stem cells totumor cells. For example, the conditioned culture medium or supernatantcan be obtained from a culture comprising about 1×10⁵ placental stemcells, about 1×10⁶ placental stem cells, about 1×10⁷ placental stemcells, or about 1×10⁸ placental stem cells, or more. In another specificembodiment, the conditioned culture medium or supernatant is obtainedfrom a co-culture comprising about 1×10⁵ to about 5×10⁵ placental stemcells and about 1×10⁵ tumor cells; about 1×10⁶ to about 5×10⁶ placentalstem cells and about 1×10⁶ tumor cells; about 1×10⁷ to about 5×10⁷placental stem cells and about 1×10⁷ tumor cells; or about 1×10⁸ toabout 5×10⁸ placental stem cells and about 1×10⁸ tumor cells.

In a specific embodiment, the conditioned medium suitable foradministration to a 70 kg individual comprises supernatant conditionedby about 70 million placental stem cells in about 200 mL culture medium.

Conditioned medium can be condensed to prepare an administrablepharmaceutical-grade product. For example, conditioned medium can becondensed to about 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%, 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10% or moreby removal of water, e.g., by evaporation, lyophilization, or the like.In a specific embodiment, for example, 200 mL conditioned medium fromabout 70 million placental stem cells can be condensed to a volume ofabout 180 mL, 160 mL, 140 mL, 120 mL, 100 mL, 80 mL, 60 mL, 40 mL, 20 mLor less. The conditioned medium can also be substantially dried, e.g.,to a powder, e.g., by evaporation, lyophilization or the like.

5.6. Preservation of Perfusate and Placental Cells

Placental perfusate or placental cells, e.g., perfusate cells, combinednatural killer cells, and PINK cells, can be preserved, that is, placedunder conditions that allow for long-term storage, or under conditionsthat inhibit cell death by, e.g., apoptosis or necrosis.

Placental perfusate can be produced by passage of a placental cellcomposition through at least a part of the placenta, e.g., through theplacental vasculature. The placental cell collection compositioncomprises one or more compounds that act to preserve the cells containedwithin the perfusate. Such a placental cell collection composition isdescribed in Section 5.1, above, e.g., a composition comprising anapoptosis inhibitor, necrosis inhibitor and/or an oxygen-carryingperfluorocarbon, as described in related U.S. application Ser. No.11/648,812, entitled “Improved Composition for Collecting and PreservingPlacental Stem Cells and Methods of Using the Composition” filed on Dec.28, 2006, In one embodiment, the placental cell collection composition,passed through the placenta or placental tissue, is the placentalperfusate useful in the methods described in Section 5.4, below.

In one embodiment, placental perfusate and/or placental cells arecollected from a mammalian, e.g., human, post-partum placenta bycontacting the cells with a placental cell collection compositioncomprising an inhibitor of apoptosis and an oxygen-carryingperfluorocarbon, wherein said inhibitor of apoptosis is present in anamount and for a time sufficient to reduce or prevent apoptosis in thepopulation of stem cells, as compared to a population of stem cells notcontacted with the inhibitor of apoptosis. For example, the placenta canbe perfused with the placental cell collection composition, andplacental cells, e.g., total nucleated placental cells, are isolatedtherefrom. In a specific embodiment, the inhibitor of apoptosis is acaspase inhibitor. In another specific embodiment, said inhibitor ofapoptosis is a JNK inhibitor. In a more specific embodiment, said JNKinhibitor does not modulate differentiation or proliferation of saidstem cells. In another embodiment, the placental cell collectioncomposition comprises said inhibitor of apoptosis and saidoxygen-carrying perfluorocarbon in separate phases. In anotherembodiment, the placental cell collection composition comprises saidinhibitor of apoptosis and said oxygen-carrying perfluorocarbon in anemulsion. In another embodiment, the placental cell collectioncomposition additionally comprises an emulsifier, e.g., lecithin. Inanother embodiment, said apoptosis inhibitor and said perfluorocarbonare between about 0° C. and about 25° C. at the time of contacting theplacental cells. In another more specific embodiment, said apoptosisinhibitor and said perfluorocarbon are between about 2° C. and 10° C.,or between about 2° C. and about 5° C., at the time of contacting theplacental cells. In another more specific embodiment, said contacting isperformed during transport of said population of stem cells. In anothermore specific embodiment, said contacting is performed during freezingand thawing of said population of stem cells.

In another embodiment, placental perfusate and/or placental cells can becollected and preserved by contacting the perfusate and/or cells with aninhibitor of apoptosis and an organ-preserving compound, wherein saidinhibitor of apoptosis is present in an amount and for a time sufficientto reduce or prevent apoptosis of the cells, as compared to perfusate orplacental cells not contacted with the inhibitor of apoptosis.

In a specific embodiment, the organ-preserving compound is UW solution(described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,824; also known as VIASPAN™; see alsoSouthard et al., Transplantation 49(2):251-257 (1990) or a solutiondescribed in Stern et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,267. In anotherembodiment, said organ-preserving composition is hydroxyethyl starch,lactobionic acid, raffinose, or a combination thereof. In anotherembodiment, the placental cell collection composition additionallycomprises an oxygen-carrying perfluorocarbon, either in two phases or asan emulsion.

In another embodiment of the method, placental perfusate and/orplacental cells are contacted with a placental cell collectioncomposition comprising an apoptosis inhibitor and oxygen-carryingperfluorocarbon, organ-preserving compound, or combination thereof,during perfusion. In another embodiment, placental cells are contactedwith said stem cell collection compound after collection by perfusion.

Typically, during placental cell collection, enrichment and isolation,it is preferable to minimize or eliminate cell stress due to hypoxia andmechanical stress. In another embodiment of the method, therefore,placental perfusate, a placental cell, or population of placental cells,is exposed to a hypoxic condition during collection, enrichment orisolation for less than six hours during said preservation, wherein ahypoxic condition is a concentration of oxygen that is less than normalblood oxygen concentration. In a more specific embodiment, saidpopulation of placental cells is exposed to said hypoxic condition forless than two hours during said preservation. In another more specificembodiment, said population of placental cells is exposed to saidhypoxic condition for less than one hour, or less than thirty minutes,or is not exposed to a hypoxic condition, during collection, enrichmentor isolation. In another specific embodiment, said population ofplacental cells is not exposed to shear stress during collection,enrichment or isolation.

The placental cells provided herein can be cryopreserved, e.g., incryopreservation medium in small containers, e.g., ampoules. Suitablecryopreservation medium includes, but is not limited to, culture mediumincluding, e.g., growth medium, or cell freezing medium, for examplecommercially available cell freezing medium, e.g., C2695, C2639 or C6039(Sigma). Cryopreservation medium preferably comprises DMSO(dimethylsulfoxide), at a concentration of, e.g., about 10% (v/v).Cryopreservation medium may comprise additional agents, for example,methylcellulose and/or glycerol. Placental cells are preferably cooledat about 1° C./min during cryopreservation. A preferred cryopreservationtemperature is about −80° C. to about −180° C., preferably about −125°C. to about −140° C. Cryopreserved placental cells can be transferred toliquid nitrogen prior to thawing for use. In some embodiments, forexample, once the ampoules have reached about −90° C., they aretransferred to a liquid nitrogen storage area. Cryopreserved cellspreferably are thawed at a temperature of about 25° C. to about 40° C.,preferably to a temperature of about 37° C.

5.7. Use of Placental Perfusate, PINK Cells, and Combined PlacentalNatural Killer Cells to Suppress Tumor Cell Growth

Also provided herein are methods of suppressing the growth, e.g.,proliferation, of tumor cells using placental perfusate, cells isolatedfrom placental perfusate, isolated combined natural killer cells, orisolated placental natural killer cells, e.g., placenta-derivedintermediate natural killer cells.

In one embodiment, provided herein is a method of suppressing theproliferation of a tumor cell, or plurality of tumor cells, comprisingcontacting the tumor cell or plurality of tumor cells with placentalperfusate, placental perfusate cells, isolated combined natural killercells, and/or PINK cells, such that the proliferation of the tumor cellor plurality of tumor cells is detectably reduced compared to a tumorcell or plurality of tumor cells of the same type not contacted with theplacental perfusate, perfusate cells, isolated combined natural killercells, and/or PINK cells.

As used herein, “contacting,” in one embodiment, encompasses directphysical, e.g., cell-cell, contact between placental perfusate,placental perfusate cells, placental natural killer cells, e.g.,placental intermediate natural killer cells, and/or isolated combinednatural killer cells; and a tumor cell or plurality of tumor cells. Inanother embodiment, “contacting” encompasses presence in the samephysical space, e.g., placental perfusate, placental perfusate cells,placental natural killer cells, e.g., placental intermediate naturalkiller cells, and/or isolated combined natural killer cells are placedin the same container e.g., culture dish, multiwell place) as a tumorcell or plurality of tumor cells. In another embodiment, “contacting”placental perfusate, placental perfusate cells, combined natural killercells or placental intermediate natural killer cells, and a tumor cellor plurality of tumor cells is accomplished, e.g., by injecting orinfusing the placental perfusate or cells, e.g., placental perfusatecells, combined natural killer cells or placental intermediate naturalkiller cells into an individual, e.g., a human comprising a tumor cellor plurality of tumor cells, e.g., a cancer patient.

In certain embodiments, placental perfusate is used in any amount thatresults in a detectable therapeutic benefit to an individual comprisinga tumor cell or plurality of tumor cells, e.g., a cancer patient. Incertain other embodiments, placental perfusate cells, placentalintermediate natural killer cells, and/or combined natural killer cellsare used in any amount that results in a detectable therapeutic benefitto an individual comprising a tumor cell or plurality of tumor cells.Thus, in another embodiment, provided herein is a method of suppressingthe proliferation of a tumor cell, or plurality of tumor cells,comprising contacting the tumor cell or plurality of tumor cells withplacental perfusate, placental perfusate cells and/or a placenta-derivedintermediate natural killer cell, or plurality of PINK cells, within anindividual such that said contacting is detectably or demonstrablytherapeutically beneficial to said individual.

As used herein, “therapeutic benefits” include, but are not limited to,e.g., reduction in the size of a tumor; lessening or cessation ofexpansion of a tumor; reduction in the number of cancer cells in atissue sample, e.g., a blood sample, per unit volume; the clinicalimprovement in any symptom of the particular cancer said individual has,the lessening or cessation of worsening of any symptom of the particularcancer the individual has, etc. Contacting of placental perfusate,placental perfusate cells and/or PINK cells that accomplishes any one ormore of such therapeutic benefits is said to be therapeuticallybeneficial.

In certain embodiments, placental perfusate cells, e.g., nucleated cellsfrom placental perfusate, combined natural killer cells, and/orplacental intermediate natural killer cells are used in any amount ornumber that results in a detectable therapeutic benefit to an individualcomprising a tumor cell or plurality of tumor cells, e.g., a cancerpatient. Placental perfusate cells, combined natural killer cells and/orplacental natural killer cells, e.g., placental intermediate naturalkiller cells can be administered to such an individual by numbers ofcells, e.g., said individual can be administered at about, at leastabout, or at most about, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷,1×10⁸, 5×10⁸, 1×10⁹, 5×10⁹, 1×10¹⁰, or 5×10¹⁰ placental perfusate cells,combined natural killer cells and/or natural killer cells. In otherembodiments, placental perfusate cells, combined natural killer cells,and/or placenta-derived intermediate natural killer cells can beadministered to such an individual by numbers of cells, e.g., saidindividual can be administered at about, at least about, or at mostabout, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷, 1×10⁸, 5×10⁸, 1×10⁹,5×10⁹, 1×10¹⁰, or 5×10¹⁰ placental perfusate cells, combined naturalkiller cells, and/or natural killer cells per kilogram of theindividual. Placental perfusate cells and/or placenta-derivedintermediate natural killer cells can be administered to such anindividual according to an approximate ratio between placental perfusatecells and/or placental natural killer cells, e.g., placentalintermediate natural killer cells, and tumor cells in said individual.For example, placental perfusate cells and/or placental natural killercells, e.g., placental intermediate natural killer cells, can beadministered to said individual in a ratio of about, at least about orat most about 1:1, 1:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1, 6:1, 7:1, 8:1, 9:1, 10:1, 15:1,20:1, 25:1, 30:1, 35:1, 40:1, 45:1, 50:1, 55:1, 60:1, 65:1, 70:1, 75:1,80:1, 85:1, 90:1, 95:1 or 100:1 to the number of tumor cells in theindividual. The number of tumor cells in such an individual can beestimated, e.g., by counting the number of tumor cells in a sample oftissue from the individual, e.g., blood sample, biopsy, or the like. Inspecific embodiments, e.g., for solid tumors, said counting is performedin combination with imaging of the tumor or tumors to obtain anapproximate tumor volume.

Further provided herein is a method for the suppression of theproliferation of a tumor cell or plurality of tumor cells usingcombinations of placental perfusate, placental perfusate cells, combinednatural killer cells, and/or placenta-derived intermediate naturalkiller cells. In various embodiments, provided herein is a method ofsuppressing the proliferation of a tumor cell or plurality of tumorcells comprising contacting said tumor cell or tumor cells withplacental perfusate supplemented with a plurality of placental perfusatecells or PINK cells; placental perfusate cells supplemented withplacental perfusate or a plurality of PINK cells; PINK cellssupplemented with placental perfusate and placental perfusate cells aplurality of PINK cells and a plurality of combined natural killercells; a plurality of combined natural killer cells and a plurality ofplacental perfusate cells; placental perfusate supplemented withcombined natural killer cells; or a combination of all of placentalperfusate, placental perfusate cells, combined natural killer cells, andPINK cells.

In one specific embodiment, for example, the proliferation of a tumorcell or plurality of tumor cells is suppressed by placental perfusatesupplemented with a plurality of placental perfusate cells, combinednatural killer cells and/or a plurality of placental intermediatenatural killer cells. In specific embodiments, for example, eachmilliliter of placental perfusate is supplemented with about 1×10⁴,5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶ or more placental perfusate cells orplacental intermediate natural killer cells. In other specificembodiments, placental perfusate, e.g., one unit (i.e., the collectionfrom a single placenta), or about 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400,450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750, 800, 850, 900, 950 or 1000 mL ofperfusate, is supplemented with about 1×10⁴, 5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶,5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷, 1×10⁸, 5×10⁸ or more PINK cells, combined naturalkiller cells, and/or placental perfusate cells per milliliter, or 1×10⁴,5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷, 1×10⁸, 5×10⁸, 1×10⁹,5×10⁹, 1×10¹⁰, 5×10¹⁰, 1×10¹¹ or more PINK cells, combined naturalkiller cells, and/or placental perfusate cells.

In another specific embodiment, the proliferation of a tumor cell orplurality of tumor cells is suppressed by a plurality of placentalperfusate cells supplemented with placental perfusate, combined naturalkiller cells, and/or placental intermediate natural killer cells. Inmore specific embodiments, about 1×10⁴, 5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶,5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷, 1×10⁸, 5×10⁸ or more placental perfusate cells permilliliter, or 1×10⁴, 5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷,1×10⁸, 5×10⁸, 1×10⁹, 5×10⁹, 1×10¹⁰, 5×10¹⁰, 1×10¹¹ or more placentalperfusate cells, are supplemented with about, or at least about, 1×10⁴,5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷, 1×10⁸, 5×10⁸ or morePINK cells and/or combined natural killer cells per milliliter, or1×10⁴, 5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷, 1×10⁸, 5×10⁸,1×10⁹, 5×10⁹, 1×10¹⁰, 5×10¹⁰, 1×10¹¹ or more PINK cells. In other morespecific embodiments, about 1×10⁴, 5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶,1×10⁷, 5×10⁷, 1×10⁸, 5×10⁸ or more placental perfusate cells, PINKcells, and/or combined natural killer cells per milliliter, or 1×10⁴,5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷, 1×10⁸, 5×10⁸, 1×10⁹,5×10⁹, 1×10¹⁰, 5×10¹⁰, 1×10¹¹ or more placental perfusate cells, aresupplemented with about, or at least about, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95,100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750,800, 850, 900, 950 or 1000 mL of perfusate, or about 1 unit ofperfusate.

In another specific embodiment, the proliferation of a tumor cell orplurality of tumor cells is suppressed by a plurality of placentalintermediate natural killer cells supplemented by placental perfusate,placental perfusate cells, and/or combined natural killer cells. In morespecific embodiments, about 1×10⁴, 5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶,1×10⁷, 5×10⁷, 1×10⁸, 5×10⁸ or more placental intermediate natural killercells, or 1×10⁴, 5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷, 1×10⁸,5×10⁸, 1×10⁹, 5×10⁹, 1×10¹⁰, 5×10¹⁰, 1×10¹¹ or more PINK cells, aresupplemented with about 1×10⁴, 5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷,5×10⁷, 1×10⁸, 5×10⁸ or more placental perfusate cells and/or combinednatural killer cells per milliliter, or 1×10⁴, 5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵,1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷, 1×10⁸, 5×10⁸, 1×10⁹, 5×10⁹, 1×10¹⁰, 5×10¹⁰,1×10¹¹ or more placental perfusate cells and/or combined natural killercells. In other more specific embodiments, about 1×10⁴, 5×10⁴, 1×10⁵,5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷, 1×10⁸, 5×10⁸ or more placentalperfusate cells and/or combined natural killer cells per milliliter, or1×10⁴, 5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷, 1×10⁸, 5×10⁸,1×10⁹, 5×10⁹, 1×10¹⁰, 5×10¹⁰, 1×10¹¹ or more placental intermediatenatural killer cells and/or combined natural killer cells aresupplemented with about, or at least about, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95,100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 650, 700, 750,800, 850, 900, 950 or 1000 mL of perfusate, or about 1 unit ofperfusate.

In another embodiment, the proliferation of a tumor cell or plurality oftumor cells is suppressed by contacting the tumor cell or tumor cellswith placental perfusate, perfusate cells, PINK cells, and/or combinednatural killer cells supplemented with adherent placental stem cells. Inspecific embodiments, the placental perfusate, perfusate cells, or PINKcells are supplemented with about 1×10⁴, 5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶,5×10⁶, 1×10⁷, 5×10⁷, 1×10⁸, 5×10⁸ or more adherent placental stem cellsper milliliter, or 1×10⁴, 5×10⁴, 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, 1×10⁶, 5×10⁶, 1×10⁷,5×10⁷, 1×10⁸, 5×10⁸, 1×10⁹, 5×10⁹, 1×10¹⁰, 5×10¹⁰, 1×10¹¹ or moreadherent placental stem cells.

In another embodiment, the proliferation of a tumor cell or plurality oftumor cells is suppressed by contacting the tumor cell or tumor cellswith placental perfusate, perfusate cells, combined natural killercells, and/or PINK cells supplemented with adherent placental stemcell-conditioned medium, e.g., 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.1, 0.8,0.9, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 mL of stem cell-conditioned culturemedium per unit of perfusate, perfusate cells, combined natural killercells, and/or PINK cells, or per 10⁴, 10⁵, 10⁶, 10⁷, 10⁸, 10⁹ or 10¹⁰cells.

In other embodiments, the placental perfusate, placental perfusatecells, placental natural killer cells, e.g., PINK cells, combinednatural killer cells, and combinations and pools comprising the same,are used as initially obtained, that is, perfusate as obtained duringperfusion, placental perfusate cells as isolated from such perfusate,combined natural killer cells from such perfusate and matched umbilicalcord blood, or PINK cells isolated from such perfusate or such placentalperfusate cells. In other embodiments, the placental perfusate,placental perfusate cells, PINK cells, and combinations and pools of thesame are processed prior to use. For example, placental perfusate can beused in its raw, unprocessed form as collected from the placenta.Placental perfusate can also be processed prior to use, e.g., by thenegative selection of one or more types of cells, reduction in volume bydehydration; lyophilization and rehydration, etc. Similarly, populationsof perfusate cells can be used as initially isolated from placentalperfusate, e.g., as total nucleated cells from placental perfusate, orcan be processed, e.g., to remove one or more cell types (e.g.,erythrocytes). PINK cells can be used as initially isolated fromplacental perfusate, e.g., using CD56 microbeads, or can be processed,e.g., to remove one or more non-killer cell types.

In another embodiment, provided herein is a method of suppressing theproliferation of a tumor cell or tumor cells, comprising contacting thetumor cell or tumor cells with placental perfusate, placental perfusatecells, PINK cells, combined natural killer cells, or pools orcombinations comprising the same, wherein said placental perfusate,placental perfusate cells, PINK cells, combined natural killer cells, orpools or combinations comprising the same have been contacted withinterleukin-2 (IL-2) for a period of time prior to said contacting. Incertain embodiments, said period of time is about, at least, or at most1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30,32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46 or 48 prior to said contacting.

The perfusate, perfusate cells, PINK cells, combined natural killercells, or pools and/or combinations of the same can be administered onceto an individual having cancer, or an individual having tumor cellsduring a course of anticancer therapy, or can be administered multipletimes, e.g., once every 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14,15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 or 23 hours, or once every 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6 or 7 days, or once every 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more weeksduring therapy. The perfusate, perfusate cells, PINK cells, pools and/orcombinations of the same can be administered without regard to whetherthe perfusate, perfusate cells, PINK cells, pools and/or combinations ofthe same have been administered to a person having cancer, or havingtumor cells, in the past. Thus, the methods provided herein encompassesthe administration to a person having cancer or having tumor cells anycombination of placental perfusate, perfusate cells, PINK cells, poolsand/or combinations comprising the same.

In a specific embodiment, the tumor cells are blood cancer cells. Invarious specific embodiments, the tumor cells are primary ductalcarcinoma cells, leukemia cells, acute T cell leukemia cells, chronicmyeloid lymphoma (CML) cells, acute myelogenous leukemia cells, chronicmyelogenous leukemia (CML) cells, lung carcinoma cells, colonadenocarcinoma cells, histiocytic lymphoma cells, multiple myeloma cell,retinoblastoma cells, colorectal carcinoma cells or colorectaladenocarcinoma cells.

The placental perfusate, perfusate cells, PINK cells, combined naturalkiller cells, pools, and/or combinations comprising the same can be partof an anticancer therapy regimen that includes one or more otheranticancer agents. Such anticancer agents are well-known in the art.Specific anticancer agents that may be administered to an individualhaving cancer, in addition to the perfusate, perfusate cells, PINKcells, pools and/or combinations of the same, include, but are notlimited to: acivicin; aclarubicin; acodazole hydrochloride; acronine;adozelesin; aldesleukin; altretamine; ambomycin; ametantrone acetate;amsacrine; anastrozole; anthramycin; asparaginase; asperlin;azacitidine; azetepa; azotomycin; batimastat; benzodepa; bicalutamide;bisantrene hydrochloride; bisnafide dimesylate; bizelesin; bleomycinsulfate; brequinar sodium; bropirimine; busulfan; cactinomycin;calusterone; caracemide; carbetimer; carboplatin; carmustine; carubicinhydrochloride; carzelesin; cedefingol; celecoxib (COX-2 inhibitor);chlorambucil; cirolemycin; cisplatin; cladribine; crisnatol mesylate;cyclophosphamide; cytarabine; dacarbazine; dactinomycin; daunorubicinhydrochloride; decitabine; dexormaplatin; dezaguanine; dezaguaninemesylate; diaziquone; docetaxel; doxorubicin; doxorubicin hydrochloride;droloxifene; droloxifene citrate; dromostanolone propionate; duazomycin;edatrexate; eflomithine hydrochloride; elsamitrucin; enloplatin;enpromate; epipropidine; epirubicin hydrochloride; erbulozole;esorubicin hydrochloride; estrarnustine; estramustine phosphate sodium;etanidazole; etoposide; etoposide phosphate; etoprine; fadrozolehydrochloride; fazarabine; fenretinide; floxuridine; fludarabinephosphate; fluorouracil; fluorocitabine; fosquidone; fostriecin sodium;gemcitabine; gemcitabine hydrochloride; hydroxyurea; idarubicinhydrochloride; ifosfamide; ilmofosine; iproplatin; irinotecan;irinotecan hydrochloride; lanreotide acetate; letrozole; leuprolideacetate; liarozole hydrochloride; lometrexol sodium; lomustine;losoxantrone hydrochloride; masoprocol; maytansine; mechlorethaminehydrochloride; megestrol acetate; melengestrol acetate; melphalan;menogaril; mercaptopurine; methotrexate; methotrexate sodium; metoprine;meturedepa; mitindomide; mitocarcin; mitocromin; mitogillin; mitomalcin;mitomycin; mitosper; mitotane; mitoxantrone hydrochloride; mycophenolicacid; nocodazole; nogalamycin; ormaplatin; oxisuran; paclitaxel;pegaspargase; peliomycin; pentamustine; peplomycin sulfate;perfosfamide; pipobroman; piposulfan; piroxantrone hydrochloride;plicamycin; plomestane; porfimer sodium; porfiromycin; prednimustine;procarbazine hydrochloride; puromycin; puromycin hydrochloride;pyrazofurin; riboprine; safingol; safingol hydrochloride; semustine;simtrazene; sparfosate sodium; sparsomycin; spirogermaniumhydrochloride; spiromustine; spiroplatin; streptonigrin; streptozocin;sulofenur; talisomycin; tecogalan sodium; taxotere; tegafur;teloxantrone hydrochloride; temoporfin; teniposide; teroxirone;testolactone; thiamiprine; thioguanine; thiotepa; tiazofurin;tirapazamine; toremifene citrate; trestolone acetate; triciribinephosphate; trimetrexate; trimetrexate glucuronate; triptorelin;tubulozole hydrochloride; uracil mustard; uredepa; vapreotide;verteporfin; vinblastine sulfate; vincristine sulfate; vindesine;vindesine sulfate; vinepidine sulfate; vinglycinate sulfate;vinleurosine sulfate; vinorelbine tartrate; vinrosidine sulfate;vinzolidine sulfate; vorozole; zeniplatin; zinostatin; and zorubicinhydrochloride.

Other anti-cancer drugs include, but are not limited to: 20-epi-1,25dihydroxyvitamin D3; 5-ethynyluracil; abiraterone; aclarubicin;acylfulvene; adecypenol; adozelesin; aldesleukin; ALL-TK antagonists;altretamine; ambamustine; amidox; amifostine; aminolevulinic acid;amrubicin; amsacrine; anagrelide; anastrozole; andrographolide;angiogenesis inhibitors; antagonist D; antagonist G; antarelix;anti-dorsalizing morphogenetic protein-1; antiandrogen, prostaticcarcinoma; antiestrogen; antineoplaston; antisense oligonucleotides;aphidicolin glycinate; apoptosis gene modulators; apoptosis regulators;apurinic acid; ara-CDP-DL-PTBA; arginine deaminase; asulacrine;atamestane; atrimustine; axinastatin 1; axinastatin 2; axinastatin 3;azasetron; azatoxin; azatyrosine; baccatin III derivatives; balanol;batimastat; BCR/ABL antagonists; benzochlorins; benzoylstaurosporine;beta lactam derivatives; beta-alethine; betaclamycin B; betulinic acid;bFGF inhibitor; bicalutamide; bisantrene; bisaziridinylspermine;bisnafide; bistratene A; bizelesin; breflate; bropirimine; budotitane;buthionine sulfoximine; calcipotriol; calphostin C; camptothecinderivatives; capecitabine; carboxamide-amino-triazole;carboxyamidotriazole; CaRest M3; CARN 700; cartilage derived inhibitor;carzelesin; casein kinase inhibitors (ICOS); castanospermine; cecropinB; cetrorelix; chlorlns; chloroquinoxaline sulfonamide; cicaprost;cis-porphyrin; cladribine; clomifene analogues; clotrimazole;collismycin A; collismycin B; combretastatin A4; combretastatinanalogue; conagenin; crambescidin 816; crisnatol; cryptophycin 8;cryptophycin A derivatives; curacin A; cyclopentanthraquinones;cycloplatam; cypemycin; cytarabine ocfosfate; cytolytic factor;cytostatin; dacliximab; decitabine; dehydrodidenmin B; deslorelin;dexamethasone; dexifosfamide; dexrazoxane; dexverapamil; diaziquone:didemnin B; didox; diethylnorspermine; dihydro-5-azacytidine;dihydrotaxol, 9-; dioxamycin; diphenyl spiromustine; docetaxel;docosanol; dolasetron; doxifluridine; doxorubicin; droloxifene;dronabinol; duocarmycin SA; ebselen; ecomustine; edelfosine;edrecolomab; eflornithine; elemene; emitefur; epirubicin; epristeride;estramustine analogue; estrogen agonists; estrogen antagonists;etanidazole; etoposide phosphate; exemestane; fadrozole; fazarabine;fenretinide; filgrastim; finasteride; flavopiridol; flezelastine;fluasterone; fludarabine; fluorodaunorunicin hydrochloride; forfenimex;formestane; fostriecin; fotemustine; gadolinium texaphyrin; galliumnitrate; galocitabine; ganirelix; gelatinase inhibitors; gemcitabine;glutathione inhibitors; hepsulfam; heregulin; hexamethylenebisacetamide; hypericin; ibandronic acid; idarubicin; idoxifene;idramantone; ilmofosine; ilomastat; imatinib (e.g., GLEEVEC®),imiquimod; immunostimulant peptides; insulin-like growth factor-1receptor inhibitor; interferon agonists; interferons; interleukins;iobenguane; iododoxorubicin; ipomeanol, 4-; iroplact; irsogladine;isobengazole; isohomohalicondrin B; itasetron; jasplakinolide;kahalalide F; lamellarin-N triacetate; lanreotide; leinamycin;lenograstim; lentinan sulfate; leptolstatin; letrozole; leukemiainhibiting factor; leukocyte alpha interferon;leuprolide+estrogen+progesterone; leuprorelin; levamisole; liarozole;linear polyamine analogue; lipophilic disaccharide peptide; lipophilicplatinum compounds; lissoclinamide 7; lobaplatin; lombricine;lometrexol; lonidamine; losoxantrone; loxoribine; lurtotecan; lutetiumtexaphyrin; lysofylline; lytic peptides; maitansine; mannostatin A;marimastat; masoprocol; maspin; matrilysin inhibitors; matrixmetalloproteinase inhibitors; menogaril; merbarone; meterelin;methioninase; metoclopramide; MIF inhibitor; mifepristone; miltefosine;mirimostim; mitoguazone; mitolactol; mitomycin analogues; mitonafide;mitotoxin fibroblast growth factor-saporin; mitoxantrone; mofarotene;molgramostim; Erbitux, human chorionic gonadotrophin; monophosphoryllipid A+myobacterium cell wall sk; mopidamol; mustard anticancer agent;mycaperoxide B; mycobacterial cell wall extract; myriaporone;N-acetyldinaline; N-substituted benzamides; nafarelin; nagrestip;naloxone+pentazocine; napavin; naphterpin; nartograstim; nedaplatin;nemorubicin: neridronic acid; nilutamide; nisamycin; nitric oxidemodulators; nitroxide antioxidant; nitrullyn; oblimersen (GENASENSE®);O⁶-benzylguanine; octreotide; okicenone; oligonucleotides; onapristone;ondansetron; ondansetron; oracin; oral cytokine inducer; ormaplatin;osaterone; oxaliplatin; oxaunomycin; paclitaxel; paclitaxel analogues;paclitaxel derivatives; palauamine; palmitoylrhizoxin; pamidronic acid;panaxytriol; panomifene; parabactin; pazelliptine; pegaspargase;peldesine; pentosan polysulfate sodium; pentostatin; pentrozole;perflubron; perfosfamide; perillyl alcohol; phenazinomycin;phenylacetate; phosphatase inhibitors; picibanil; pilocarpinehydrochloride; pirarubicin; piritrexim; placetin A; placetin B;plasminogen activator inhibitor; platinum complex; platinum compounds;platinum-triamine complex; porfimer sodium; porfiromycin; prednisone;propyl bis-acridone; prostaglandin J2; proteasome inhibitors; proteinA-based immune modulator; protein kinase C inhibitor; protein kinase Cinhibitors, microalgal; protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors; purinenucleoside phosphorylase inhibitors; purpurins; pyrazoloacridine;pyridoxylated hemoglobin polyoxyethylene conjugate; raf antagonists;raltitrexed; ramosetron; ras farnesyl protein transferase inhibitors;ras inhibitors; ras-GAP inhibitor; retelliptine demethylated; rhenium Re186 etidronate; rhizoxin; ribozymes; RII retinamide; rohitukine;romurtide; roquinimex; rubiginone B1; ruboxyl; safingol; saintopin;SarCNU; sarcophytol A; sargramostim; Sdi 1 mimetics; semustine;senescence derived inhibitor 1; sense oligonucleotides; signaltransduction inhibitors; sizofuran; sobuzoxane; sodium borocaptate;sodium phenylacetate; solverol; somatomedin binding protein; sonermin;sparfosic acid; spicamycin D; spiromustine; splenopentin; spongistatin1; squalamine; stipiamide; stromelysin inhibitors; sulfinosine;superactive vasoactive intestinal peptide antagonist; suradista;suramin; swainsonine; tallimustine; tamoxifen methiodide; tauromustine;tazarotene; tecogalan sodium; tegafur; tellurapyrylium; telomeraseinhibitors; temoporfin; teniposide; tetrachlorodecaoxide; tetrazomine;thaliblastine; thiocoraline; thrombopoietin; thrombopoietin mimetic;thymalfasin; thymopoietin receptor agonist; thymotrinan; thyroidstimulating hormone; tin ethyl etiopurpurin; tirapazamine; titanocenebichloride; topsentin; toremifene; translation inhibitors; tretinoin;triacetyluridine; triciribine; trimetrexate; triptorelin; tropisetron;turosteride; tyrosine kinase inhibitors; tyrphostins; UBC inhibitors;ubenimex; urogenital sinus-derived growth inhibitory factor; urokinasereceptor antagonists; vapreotide; variolin B; velaresol; veramine;verdins; verteporfin; vinorelbine; vinxaltine; vitaxin; vorozole;zanoterone; zeniplatin; zilascorb; and zinostatin stimalamer.

5.8. Treatment of Natural Killer Cells with Immunomodulatory Compounds

Isolated natural killer cells, e.g., PINK cells or combined naturalkiller cells, as described elsewhere herein, can be treated with animmunomodulatory compound, e.g., contacted with an immunomodulatorycompound, to enhance the antitumor activity of the cell. Thus, providedherein is a method of increasing the cytotoxicity of a natural killercell to a tumor cell comprising contacting the natural killer cell withan immunomodulatory compound for a time and in a concentrationsufficient for the natural killer cell to demonstrate increasedcytotoxicity towards a tumor cell compared to a natural killer cell notcontacted with the immunomodulatory compound. In another embodiment,provided herein is a method of increasing the expression of granzyme Bin a natural killer cell comprising contacting the natural killer cellwith an immunomodulatory compound for a time and in a concentrationsufficient for the natural killer cell to demonstrate increasedexpression of granzyme B compared to a natural killer cell not contactedwith the immunomodulatory compound. The immunomodulatory compound can beany compound described below, e.g., lenalidomide or pomalidomide.

Also provided herein is a method of increasing the cyclotoxicity of apopulation of natural killer cells, e.g., PINK cells or combined naturalkiller cells, to a plurality of tumor cells comprising contacting thepopulation of natural killer cells with an immunomodulatory compound fora time and in a concentration sufficient for the population of naturalkiller cells to demonstrate detectably increased cytotoxicity towardssaid plurality of tumor cells compared to an equivalent number ofnatural killer cells not contacted with the immunomodulatory compound.In another embodiment, provided herein is a method of increasing theexpression of granzyme B in a population of natural killer cellscomprising contacting the population of natural killer cells with animmunomodulatory compound for a time and in a concentration sufficientfor the population of natural killer cells to express a detectablyincreased amount of granzyme B compared to an equivalent number ofnatural killer cells not contacted with the immunomodulatory compound.In a specific embodiment, said population of natural killer cells iscontained within placental perfusate cells, e.g., total nucleated cellsfrom placental perfusate.

In specific embodiments of the above embodiments, the natural killercells are CD56⁺, CD16⁻ placental intermediate natural killer cells (PINKcells). In another specific embodiment of the above embodiments, thenatural killer cells are combined natural killer cells, i.e., naturalkiller cells from matched placental perfusate and umbilical cord blood.

In another specific embodiment, said plurality of natural killer cells,e.g., PINK cells or combined natural killer cells, contacted with saidimmunomodulatory compound express one or more of BAX, CCL5, CCR5, CSF2,FAS, GUSB, IL2RA, or TNFRSF18 at a higher level than an equivalentnumber of said natural killer cells not contacted with saidimmunomodulatory compound. In another specific embodiment, saidplurality of natural killer cells, e.g., PINK cells, contacted with saidimmunomodulatory compound express one or more of ACTB, BAX, CCL2, CCL3,CCL5, CCR5, CSF1, CSF2, ECE1, FAS, GNLY, GUSB, GZMB, IL1A, IL2RA, IL8,IL10, LTA, PRF1, PTGS2, SKI, and TBX21 at a higher level than anequivalent number of said natural killer cells not contacted with saidimmunomodulatory compound.

Also provided herein is a method of increasing the cyclotoxicity of apopulation of human placental perfusate cells, e.g., total nucleatedcells from placental perfusate, towards a plurality of tumor cells,comprising contacting the placental perfusate cells with animmunomodulatory compound for a time and in a concentration sufficientfor the placental perfusate cells to demonstrate detectably increasedcytotoxicity towards said plurality of tumor cells compared to anequivalent number of placental perfusate cells not contacted with theimmunomodulatory compound. In another embodiment, provided herein is amethod of increasing the expression of granzyme B in a population ofplacental perfusate cells comprising contacting the population ofplacental perfusate cells with an immunomodulatory compound for a timeand in a concentration sufficient for the population of placentalperfusate cells to express a detectably increased amount of granzyme Bcompared to an equivalent number of placental perfusate cells notcontacted with the immunomodulatory compound.

Immunomodulatory compounds can either be commercially purchased orprepared according to the methods described in the patents or patentpublications referred to herein, all of which are incorporated byreference. Further, optically pure compositions can be asymmetricallysynthesized or resolved using known resolving agents or chiral columnsas well as other standard synthetic organic chemistry techniques.Immunomodulatory compounds may be racemic, stereomerically enriched orstereomerically pure, and may encompass pharmaceutically acceptablesalts, solvates, and prodrugs thereof.

As used herein and unless otherwise indicated, the terms“immunomodulatory compounds” encompass small organic molecules thatmarkedly inhibit TNF-α, LPS induced monocyte IL-1β and IL-12, andpartially inhibit IL-6 production. In specific examples, theimmunomodulatory compounds are lenalidomide, pomalidomide orthalidomide.

Specific examples of immunomodulatory compounds, include, but are notlimited to, cyano and carboxy derivatives of substituted styrenes suchas those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,929,117;1-oxo-2-(2,6-dioxo-3-fluoropiperidin-3-yl)isoindolines and1,3-dioxo-2-(2,6-dioxo-3-fluoropiperidine-3-yl)isoindolines such asthose described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,874,448 and 5,955,476; the tetrasubstituted 2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)-1-oxoisoindolines described inU.S. Pat. No. 5,798,368; 1-oxo and1,3-dioxo-2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)isoindolines (e.g., 4-methylderivatives of thalidomide), including, but not limited to, thosedisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,635,517, 6,476,052, 6,555,554, and6,403,613; 1-oxo and 1,3-dioxoisoindolines substituted in the 4- or5-position of the indoline ring (e.g.,4-(4-amino-1,3-dioxoisoindoline-2-yl)-4-carbamoylbutanoic acid)described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,380,239; isoindoline-1-one andisoindoline-1,3-dione substituted in the 2-position with2,6-dioxo-3-hydroxypiperidin-5-yl (e.g.,2-(2,6-dioxo-3-hydroxy-5-fluoropiperidin-5-yl)-4-aminoisoindolin-1-one)described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,458,810; a class of non-polypeptide cyclicamides disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,698,579 and 5,877,200;aminothalidomide, as well as analogs, hydrolysis products, metabolites,derivatives and precursors of aminothalidomide, and substituted2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl) phthalimides and substituted2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)-1-oxoisoindoles such as those described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 6,281,230 and 6,316,471; and isoindole-imide compoundssuch as those described in U.S. patent publication no. 2003/0045552 A1,U.S. Pat. No. 7,091,353, and WO 02/059106. The entireties of each of thepatents and patent applications identified herein are incorporatedherein by reference. Immunomodulatory compounds do not includethalidomide.

In certain embodiments, the immunomodulatory compounds are 1-oxo- and1,3 dioxo-2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)isoindolines substituted with aminoin the benzo ring as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,635,517, which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety. These compounds havethe structure I:

in which one of X and Y is C═O, the other of X and Y is C═O or CH₂, andR² is hydrogen or lower alkyl, in particular methyl. Specificimmunomodulatory compounds include, but are not limited to:

-   1-oxo-2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)-4-aminoisoindoline;-   1-oxo-2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)-5-aminoisoindoline;-   1-oxo-2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)-6-aminoisoindoline;

1-oxo-2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)-7-aminoisoindoline;

-   1,3-dioxo-2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)-4-aminoisoindoline; and-   1,3-dioxo-2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)-5-aminoisoindoline.

Other specific immunomodulatory compounds belong to a class ofsubstituted 2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)phthalimides and substituted2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)-1-oxoisoindoles, such as those described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 6,281,230; 6,316,471; 6,335,349; and 6,476,052, and WO98/03502, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.Representative compounds are of formula:

in which:

one of X and Y is C═O and the other of X and Y is C═O or CH₂;

(i) each of R¹, R², R³, and R⁴, independently of the others, is halo,alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or alkoxy of 1 to 4 carbon atoms or (ii)one of R¹, R², R³, and R⁴ is —NHR⁵ and the remaining of R¹, R², R³, andR⁴ are hydrogen;

R⁵ is hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms;

R⁶ is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, benzyl, or halo;

provided that R⁶ is other than hydrogen if X and Y are C═O and (i) eachof R¹, R²,

R³, and R⁴ is fluoro or (ii) one of R¹, R², R³, or R⁴ is amino.

Compounds representative of this class are of the formulas:

wherein R¹ is hydrogen or methyl. In a separate embodiment, encompassedis the use of enantiomerically pure forms (e.g. optically pure (R) or(S) enantiomers) of these compounds.

Still other specific immunomodulatory compounds belong to a class ofisoindole-imides disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos.US 2003/0096841 and US 2003/0045552, and WO 02/059106, each of which areincorporated herein by reference. Representative compounds are offormula II:

and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, hydrates, solvates, clathrates,enantiomers, diastereomers, racemates, and mixtures of stereoisomersthereof, wherein:

one of X and Y is C═O and the other is CH₂ or C═O;

R¹ is H, (C₁-C₈)alkyl, (C₃-C₇)cycloalkyl, (C₂-C₈)alkenyl,(C₂-C₈)alkynyl, benzyl, aryl, (C₁-C₄)alkyl-(C₁-C₆)heterocycloalkyl,(C₀-C₄)alkyl-(C₂-C₅)heteroaryl, C(O)R³, C(S)R³, C(O)OR⁴,(C₁-C₈)alkyl-N(R⁶)₂, (C₁-C₈)alkyl-OR⁵, (C₁-C₈)alkyl-C(O)OR⁵, C(O)NHR³,C(S)NHR³, C(O)NR³R^(3′), C(S)NR³R^(3′) or (C₁-C₈)alkyl-O(CO)R⁵;

R² is H, F, benzyl, (C₁-C₈)alkyl, (C₂-C₈)alkenyl, or (C₂-C₈)alkynyl;

R³ and R^(3′) are independently (C₁-C₈)alkyl, (C₃-C₇)cycloalkyl,(C₂-C₈)alkenyl, (C₂-C₈)alkynyl, benzyl, aryl, (CO—C₄)alkylC₁-C₆)heterocycloalkyl, (C₀-C₄)alkyl(C₂-C₅)heteroaryl,(C₀-C₈)alkyl-N(R⁶)₂, (C₁-C₈)alkyl-OR⁵, (C₁-C₈)alkyl-C(O)OR⁵,(C₁-C₈)alkyl-O(CO)R⁵, or C(O)OR⁵;

R⁴ is (C₁-C₈)alkyl, (C₂-C₈)alkenyl, (C₂-C₈)alkynyl, (C₁-C₄)alkyl-OR⁵,benzyl, aryl, (C₀-C₄)alkyl C₁-C₆)heterocycloalkyl, or(C₀-C₄)alkyl(C₂-C₅)heteroaryl;

R⁵ is (C₁-C₈)alkyl, (C₂-C₈)alkenyl, (C₂-C₈)alkynyl, benzyl, aryl, or(C₂-C₅)heteroaryl;

each occurrence of R⁶ is independently H, (C₁-C₈)alkyl, (C₂-C₈)alkenyl,(C₂-C₈)alkynyl, benzyl, aryl, (C₂-C₅)heteroaryl, or(CO—C₈)alkyl-C(O)O—R⁵ or the R⁶ groups can join to form aheterocycloalkyl group;

n is 0 or 1; and

* represents a chiral-carbon center.

In specific compounds of formula II, when n is 0 then R¹ is(C₃-C₇)cycloalkyl, (C₂-C₈)alkenyl, (C₂-C₈)alkynyl, benzyl, aryl,(C₀-C₄)alkyl-(C₁-C₆)heterocycloalkyl, (C₀-C₄)alkyl-(C₂-C₅)heteroaryl,C(O)R³, C(O)OR⁴, (C₁-C₈)alkyl-N(R⁶)₂, (C₁-C₈)alkyl-OR⁵,(C₁-C₈)alkyl-C(O)OR⁵, C(S)NHR³, or (C₁-C₈)alkyl-O(CO)R⁵;

R² is H or (C₁-C₈)alkyl; and

R³ is (C₁-C₈)alkyl, (C₃-C₇)cycloalkyl, (C₂-C₈)alkenyl, (C₂-C₈)alkynyl,benzyl, aryl, (C₀-C₄)alkyl C₁-C₆)heterocycloalkyl, (C₁-C₄)alkylC₂-C₅)heteroaryl, (C₅-C₈)alkyl-N(R⁶)₂; (C₀-C₈)alkyl-NH—C(O)O—R⁵;(C₁-C₈)alkyl-OR⁵, (C₁-C₈)alkyl-C(O)OR⁵, (C₁-C₈)alkyl-O(CO)R⁵, orC(O)OR⁵; and the other variables have the same definitions.

In other specific compounds of formula II, R² is H or (C₁-C₄)alkyl.

In other specific compounds of formula II, R¹ is (C₁-C₈)alkyl or benzyl.

In other specific compounds of formula II, R¹ is H, (C₁-C₈)alkyl,benzyl, CH₂OCH₃, CH₂CH₂OCH₃, or

In another embodiment of the compounds of formula II, R¹ is

wherein Q is O or S, and each occurrence of R⁷ is independently H,(C₁-C₈)alkyl, (C₃-C₇)cycloalkyl, (C₂-C₈)alkenyl, (C₂-C₈)alkynyl, benzyl,aryl, halogen, (C₀-C₄)alkyl(C₁-C₆)heterocycloalkyl,(C₀-C₄)alkyl-(C₂-C₅)heteroaryl, (C₀-C₈)alkyl-N(R⁶)₂, (C₁-C₈)alkyl-OR⁵,(C₁-C₈)alkyl-C(O)OR⁵, (C₁-C₈)alkyl-O(CO)R⁵, or C(O)OR⁵, or adjacentoccurrences of R⁷ can be taken together to form a bicyclic alkyl or arylring.

In other specific compounds of formula II, R¹ is C(O)R³.

In other specific compounds of formula II, R³ is(C₀-C₄)alkyl-(C₂-C₅)heteroaryl, (C₁-C₈)alkyl, aryl, or (C₀-C₄)alkyl-OR⁵.

In other specific compounds of formula II, heteroaryl is pyridyl, furyl,or thienyl.

In other specific compounds of formula II, R¹ is C(O)OR⁴.

In other specific compounds of formula II, the H of C(O)NHC(O) can bereplaced with (C₁-C₄)alkyl, aryl, or benzyl.

Further examples of the compounds in this class include, but are notlimited to:[2-(2,6-dioxo-piperidin-3-yl)-1,3-dioxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindol-4-ylmethyl]-amide;(2-(2,6-dioxo-piperidin-3-yl)-1,3-dioxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindol-4-ylmethyl)-carbamicacid tert-butyl ester;4-(aminomethyl)-2-(2,6-dioxo(3-piperidyl))-isoindoline-1,3-dione;N-(2-(2,6-dioxo-piperidin-3-yl)-1,3-dioxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindol-4-ylmethyl)-acetamide;N-{(2-(2,6-dioxo(3-piperidyl)-1,3-dioxoisoindolin-4-yl)methyl}cyclopropyl-carboxamide;2-chloro-N-{(2-(2,6-dioxo(3-piperidyl))-1,3-dioxoisoindolin-4-yl)methyl}acetamide;N-(2-(2,6-dioxo(3-piperidyl))-1,3-dioxoisoindolin-4-yl)-3-pyridylcarboxamide;3-{1-oxo-4-(benzylamino)isoindolin-2-yl}piperidine-2,6-dione;2-(2,6-dioxo(3-piperidyl))-4-(benzylamino)isoindoline-1,3-dione;N-{(2-(2,6-dioxo(3-piperidyl))-1,3-dioxoisoindolin-4-yl)methyl}propanamide;N-{(2-(2,6-dioxo(3-piperidyl))-1,3-dioxoisoindolin-4-yl)methyl}-3-pyridylcarboxamide;N-{(2-(2,6-dioxo(3-piperidyl))-1,3-dioxoisoindolin-4-yl)methyl}heptanamide;N-{(2-(2,6-dioxo(3-piperidyl))-1,3-dioxoisoindolin-4-yl)methyl}-2-furylcarboxamide;{N-(2-(2,6-dioxo(3-piperidyl))-1,3-dioxoisoindolin-4-yl)carbamoyl}methylacetate;N-(2-(2,6-dioxo(3-piperidyl))-1,3-dioxoisoindolin-4-yl)pentanamide;N-(2-(2,6-dioxo(3-piperidyl))-1,3-dioxoisoindolin-4-yl)-2-thienylcarboxamide;N-{[2-(2,6-dioxo(3-piperidyl))-1,3-dioxoisoindolin-4-yl]methyl}(butylamino)carboxamide;N-{[2-(2,6-dioxo(3-piperidyl))-1,3-dioxoisoindolin-4-yl]methyl}(octylamino)carboxamide;andN-{[2-(2,6-dioxo(3-piperidyl))-1,3-dioxoisoindolin-4-yl]methyl}(benzylamino)carboxamide.

Still other specific immunomodulatory compounds belong to a class ofisoindole-imides disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No.2002/0045643, International Publication No. WO 98/54170, and U.S. Pat.No. 6,395,754, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.Representative compounds are of formula III:

and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, hydrates, solvates, clathrates,enantiomers, diastereomers, racemates, and mixtures of stereoisomersthereof, wherein:

one of X and Y is C═O and the other is CH₂ or C═O;

R is H or CH₂OCOR′;

(i) each of R¹, R², R³, or R⁴, independently of the others, is halo,alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or alkoxy of 1 to 4 carbon atoms or (ii)one of R¹, R², R³, or R⁴ is nitro or —NHR⁵ and the remaining of R¹, R²,R³, or R⁴ are hydrogen;

R⁵ is hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 8 carbons

R⁶ hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, benzo, chloro, or fluoro;

R′ is R⁷—CHR¹⁰—N(R⁸R⁹);

R⁷ is m-phenylene or p-phenylene or —(C_(n)H_(2n))— in which n has avalue of 0 to 4;

each of R⁸ and R⁹ taken independently of the other is hydrogen or alkylof 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or R⁸ and R⁹ taken together are tetramethylene,pentamethylene, hexamethylene, or —CH₂CH₂X₁CH₂CH₂— in which X₁ is —O—,—S—, or —NH—;

R¹⁰ is hydrogen, alkyl of to 8 carbon atoms, or phenyl; and

* represents a chiral-carbon center.

Other representative compounds are of formula:

wherein:

one of X and Y is C═O and the other of X and Y is C═O or CH₂;

(i) each of R¹, R², R³, or R⁴, independently of the others, is halo,alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or alkoxy of 1 to 4 carbon atoms or (ii)one of R¹, R², R³, and R⁴ is —NHR⁵ and the remaining of R¹, R², R³, andR⁴ are hydrogen;

R⁵ is hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms;

R⁶ is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, benzo, chloro, or fluoro;

R⁷ is m-phenylene or p-phenylene or —(C_(n)H_(2n))— in which n has avalue of 0 to 4;

each of R⁸ and R⁹ taken independently of the other is hydrogen or alkylof 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or R⁸ and R⁹ taken together are tetramethylene,pentamethylene, hexamethylene, or —CH₂CH₂X¹CH₂CH₂— in which X¹ is —O—,—S—, or —NH—;

R¹⁰ is hydrogen, alkyl of to 8 carbon atoms, or phenyl.

Other representative compounds are of formula:

in which

one of X and Y is C═O and the other of X and Y is C═O or CH₂;

each of R¹, R², R³, and R⁴, independently of the others, is halo, alkylof 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or alkoxy of 1 to 4 carbon atoms or (ii) one ofR¹, R², R³, and R⁴ is nitro or protected amino and the remaining of R¹,R², R³, and R⁴ are hydrogen; and

R⁶ is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, benzo, chloro, or fluoro.

Other representative compounds are of formula:

in which:

one of X and Y is C═O and the other of X and Y is C═O or CH₂;

(i) each of R¹, R², R³, and R⁴, independently of the others, is halo,alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or alkoxy of 1 to 4 carbon atoms or (ii)one of R¹, R², R³, and R⁴ is —NHR⁵ and the remaining of R¹, R², R³, andR⁴ are hydrogen;

R⁵ is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or CO—R⁷—CH(R¹⁰)NR⁸R⁹ inwhich each of R⁷, R⁸, R⁹, and R¹⁰ is as herein defined; and

R⁶ is alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, benzo, chloro, or fluoro.

Specific examples of the compounds are of formula:

in which:

one of X and Y is C═O and the other of X and Y is C═O or CH₂;

R⁶ is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, benzyl, chloro, or fluoro;

R⁷ is m-phenylene, p-phenylene or —(C_(n)H_(2n))— in which n has a valueof 0 to 4;

each of R⁸ and R⁹ taken independently of the other is hydrogen or alkylof 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or R⁸ and R⁹ taken together are tetramethylene,pentamethylene, hexamethylene, or —CH₂CH₂X¹CH₂CH₂— in which X¹ is —O—,—S— or —NH—; and

R¹⁰ is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or phenyl.

The most preferred immunomodulatory compounds are4-(amino)-2-(2,6-dioxo(3-piperidyl))-isoindoline-1,3-dione and3-(4-amino-1-oxo-1,3-dihydro-isoindol-2-yl)-piperidine-2,6-dione. Thecompounds can be obtained via standard, synthetic methods (see e.g.,U.S. Pat. No. 5,635,517, incorporated herein by reference). Thecompounds are available from Celgene Corporation, Warren, N.J.4-(Amino)-2-(2,6-dioxo(3-piperidyl))-isoindoline-1,3-dione has thefollowing chemical structure:

The compound3-(4-amino-1-oxo-1,3-dihydro-isoindol-2-yl)-piperidine-2,6-dione has thefollowing chemical structure:

In another embodiment, specific immunomodulatory compounds encompasspolymorphic forms of 3-(4-amino-1-oxo-1,3dihydro-isoindol-2-yl)-piperidene-2,6-dione such as Form A, B, C, D, E,F, G and H, disclosed in U.S. publication no. US 2005/0096351 A1, whichis incorporated herein by reference. For example, Form A of3-(4-amino-1-oxo-1,3 dihydro-isoindol-2-yl)-piperidene-2,6-dione is anunsolvated, crystalline material that can be obtained from non-aqueoussolvent systems. Form A has an X-ray powder diffraction patterncomprising significant peaks at approximately 8, 14.5, 16, 17.5, 20.5,24 and 26 degrees 2θ, and has a differential scanning calorimetrymelting temperature maximum of about 270° C. Form A is weakly or nothygroscopic and appears to be the most thermodynamically stableanhydrous polymorph of 3-(4-amino-1-oxo-1,3dihydro-isoindol-2-yl)-piperidine-2,6-dione discovered thus far.

Form B of 3-(4-amino-1-oxo-1,3dihydro-isoindol-2-yl)-piperidene-2,6-dione is a hemihydrated,crystalline material that can be obtained from various solvent systems,including, but not limited to, hexane, toluene, and water. Form B has anX-ray powder diffraction pattern comprising significant peaks atapproximately 16, 18, 22 and 27 degrees 2θ, and has endotherms from DSCcurve of about 146 and 268° C., which are identified dehydration andmelting by hot stage microscopy experiments. Interconversion studiesshow that Form B converts to Form E in aqueous solvent systems, andconverts to other forms in acetone and other anhydrous systems.

Form C of 3-(4-amino-1-oxo-1,3dihydro-isoindol-2-yl)-piperidene-2,6-dione is a hemisolvatedcrystalline material that can be obtained from solvents such as, but notlimited to, acetone. Form C has an X-ray powder diffraction patterncomprising significant peaks at approximately 15.5 and 25 degrees 20,and has a differential scanning calorimetry melting temperature maximumof about 269° C. Form C is not hygroscopic below about 85% RH, but canconvert to Form B at higher relative humidities.

Form D of 3-(4-amino-1-oxo-1,3dihydro-isoindol-2-yl)-piperidene-2,6-dione is a crystalline, solvatedpolymorph prepared from a mixture of acetonitrile and water. Form D hasan X-ray powder diffraction pattern comprising significant peaks atapproximately 27 and 28 degrees 2θ, and has a differential scanningcalorimetry melting temperature maximum of about 270° C. Form D iseither weakly or not hygroscopic, but will typically convert to Form Bwhen stressed at higher relative humidities.

Form E of 3-(4-amino-1-oxo-1,3dihydro-isoindol-2-yl)-piperidene-2,6-dione is a dihydrated, crystallinematerial that can be obtained by slurrying 3-(4-amino-1-oxo-1,3dihydro-isoindol-2-yl)-piperidene-2,6-dione in water and by a slowevaporation of 3-(4-amino-1-oxo-1,3dihydro-isoindol-2-yl)-piperidene-2,6-dione in a solvent system with aratio of about 9:1 acetone:water. Form E has an X-ray powder diffractionpattern comprising significant peaks at approximately 20, 24.5 and 29degrees 20, and has a differential scanning calorimetry meltingtemperature maximum of about 269° C. Form E can convert to Form C in anacetone solvent system and to Form G in a THF solvent system. In aqueoussolvent systems, Form E appears to be the most stable form. Desolvationexperiments performed on Form E show that upon heating at about 125° C.for about five minutes, Form E can convert to Form B. Upon heating at175° C. for about five minutes, Form B can convert to Form F.

Form F of 3-(4-amino-1-oxo-1,3dihydro-isoindol-2-yl)-piperidene-2,6-dione is an unsolvated,crystalline material that can be obtained from the dehydration of FormE. Form F has an X-ray powder diffraction pattern comprising significantpeaks at approximately 19, 19.5 and 25 degrees 20, and has adifferential scanning calorimetry melting temperature maximum of about269° C.

Form G of 3-(4-amino-1-oxo-1,3dihydro-isoindol-2-yl)-piperidene-2,6-dione is an unsolvated,crystalline material that can be obtained from slurrying forms B and Ein a solvent such as, but not limited to, tetrahydrofuran (THF). Form Ghas an X-ray powder diffraction pattern comprising significant peaks atapproximately 21, 23 and 24.5 degrees 20, and has a differentialscanning calorimetry melting temperature maximum of about 267° C.

Form H of 3-(4-amino-1-oxo-1,3dihydro-isoindol-2-yl)-piperidene-2,6-dione is a partially hydrated(about 0.25 moles) crystalline material that can be obtained by exposingForm E to 0% relative humidity. Form H has an X-ray powder diffractionpattern comprising significant peaks at approximately 15, 26 and 31degrees 20, and has a differential scanning calorimetry meltingtemperature maximum of about 269° C.

Other specific immunomodulatory compounds usable in the methods providedherein include, but are not limited to,1-oxo-2-(2,6-dioxo-3-fluoropiperidin-3-yl)isoindolines and1,3-dioxo-2-(2,6-dioxo-3-fluoropiperidine-3-yl)isoindolines such asthose described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,874,448 and 5,955,476, each of whichis incorporated herein by reference. Representative compounds are offormula:

wherein Y is oxygen or H² and

each of R¹, R², R³, and R⁴, independently of the others, is hydrogen,halo, alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, oramino.

Other specific immunomodulatory compounds usable in the methods providedherein include, but are not limited to, the tetra substituted2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)-1-oxoisoindolines described in U.S. Pat. No.5,798,368, which is incorporated herein by reference. Representativecompounds are of formula:

wherein each of R¹, R², R³, and R⁴, independently of the others, ishalo, alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or alkoxy of 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

Other specific immunomodulatory compounds that can be used in themethods provided herein include, but are not limited to, 1-oxo and1,3-dioxo-2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)isoindolines disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 6,403,613, which is incorporated herein by reference. Representativecompounds are of formula:

in which

Y is oxygen or H₂,

a first of R¹ and R² is halo, alkyl, alkoxy, alkylamino, dialkylamino,cyano, or carbamoyl, the second of R¹ and R², independently of thefirst, is hydrogen, halo, alkyl, alkoxy, alkylamino, dialkylamino,cyano, or carbamoyl, and

R³ is hydrogen, alkyl, or benzyl.

Specific examples of the compounds are of formula:

wherein a first of R¹ and R² is halo, alkyl of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms,alkoxy of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, dialkylamino in which each alkyl isof from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, cyano, or carbamoyl,

the second of R¹ and R², independently of the first, is hydrogen, halo,alkyl of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkoxy of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms,alkylamino in which alkyl is of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, dialkylaminoin which each alkyl is of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, cyano, or carbamoyl,and

R³ is hydrogen, alkyl of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or benzyl. Specificexamples include, but are not limited to,1-oxo-2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)-4-methylisoindoline.

Other compounds that can be used in the methods provided herein are offormula:

wherein a first of R¹ and R² is halo, alkyl of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms,alkoxy of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, dialkylamino in which each alkyl isof from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, cyano, or carbamoyl,

the second of R¹ and R², independently of the first, is hydrogen, halo,alkyl of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkoxy of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms,alkylamino in which alkyl is of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, dialkylaminoin which each alkyl is of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, cyano, or carbamoyl,and

R³ is hydrogen, alkyl of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or benzyl.

Other specific immunomodulatory compounds that can be used in themethods provided herein include, but are not limited to, 1-oxo and1,3-dioxoisoindolines substituted in the 4- or 5-position of theindoline ring described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,380,239 and U.S. ApplicationPublication No. 2006/0084815, which are incorporated herein byreference. Representative compounds are of formula:

in which the carbon atom designated C* constitutes a center of chirality(when n is not zero and R¹ is not the same as R²); one of X¹ and X² isamino, nitro, alkyl of one to six carbons, or NH—Z, and the other of X¹or X² is hydrogen; each of R¹ and R² independent of the other, ishydroxy or NH—Z; R³ is hydrogen, alkyl of one to six carbons, halo, orhaloalkyl; Z is hydrogen, aryl, alkyl of one to six carbons, formyl, oracyl of one to six carbons; and n has a value of 0, 1, or 2; providedthat if X¹ is amino, and n is 1 or 2, then R¹ and R² are not bothhydroxy; and the salts thereof.

Further compounds that can be used in the methods provided herein are offormula:

in which the carbon atom designated C* constitutes a center of chiralitywhen n is not zero and R¹ is not R²; one of X¹ and X² is amino, nitro,alkyl of one to six carbons, or NH—Z, and the other of X¹ or X² ishydrogen; each of R¹ and R² independent of the other, is hydroxy orNH—Z; R³ is alkyl of one to six carbons, halo, or hydrogen; Z ishydrogen, aryl or an alkyl or acyl of one to six carbons; and n has avalue of 0, 1, or 2.

Specific examples of compounds that can be used in the methods providedherein include, but are not limited to,2-(4-amino-1-oxo-1,3-dihydro-isoindol-2-yl)-4-carbamoyl-butyric acid and4-(4-amino-1-oxo-1,3-dihydro-isoindol-2-yl)-4-cabamoyl-butyric acid,which have the following structures, respectively, and pharmaceuticallyacceptable salts, solvates, prodrugs, and stereoisomers thereof:

Other representative compounds are of formula:

in which the carbon atom designated C* constitutes a center of chiralitywhen n is not zero and R¹ is not R²; one of X¹ and X² is amino, nitro,alkyl of one to six carbons, or NH—Z, and the other of X¹ or X² ishydrogen; each of R¹ and R² independent of the other, is hydroxy orNH—Z; R³ is alkyl of one to six carbons, halo, or hydrogen; Z ishydrogen, aryl, or an alkyl or acyl of one to six carbons; and n has avalue of 0, 1, or 2; and the salts thereof.

Specific examples include, but are not limited to,4-carbamoyl-4-{4-[(furan-2-yl-methyl)-amino]-1,3-dioxo-1,3-dihydro-isoindol-2-yl}-butyricacid,4-carbamoyl-2-{4-[(furan-2-yl-methyl)-amino]-1,3-dioxo-1,3-dihydro-isoindol-2-yl}-butyricacid,2-{4-[(furan-2-yl-methyl)-amino]-1,3-dioxo-1,3-dihydro-isoindol-2-yl}-4-phenylcarbamoyl-butyricacid, and2-{4-[(furan-2-yl-methyl)-amino]-1,3-dioxo-1,3-dihydro-isoindol-2-yl}-pentanedioicacid, which have the following structures, respectively, andpharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvate, prodrugs, and stereoisomersthereof:

Other specific examples of the compounds are of formula:

wherein one of X¹ and X² is nitro, or NH—Z, and the other of X¹ or X² ishydrogen;

each of R¹ and R², independent of the other, is hydroxy or NH—Z;

R³ is alkyl of one to six carbons, halo, or hydrogen;

Z is hydrogen, phenyl, an acyl of one to six carbons, or an alkyl of oneto six carbons; and

n has a value of 0, 1, or 2;

provided that if one of X¹ and X² is nitro, and n is 1 or 2, then R¹ andR² are other than hydroxy; and

if —COR² and —(CH₂)_(n)COR¹ are different, the carbon atom designated C*constitutes a center of chirality. Other representative compounds are offormula:

wherein one of X¹ and X² is alkyl of one to six carbons;

each of R¹ and R², independent of the other, is hydroxy or NH—Z;

R³ is alkyl of one to six carbons, halo, or hydrogen;

Z is hydrogen, phenyl, an acyl of one to six carbons, or an alkyl of oneto six carbons; and

n has a value of 0, 1, or 2; and

if —COR² and —(CH₂)_(n)COR¹ are different, the carbon atom designated C*constitutes a center of chirality.

Still other specific immunomodulatory compounds include, but are notlimited to, isoindoline-1-one and isoindoline-1,3-dione substituted inthe 2-position with 2,6-dioxo-3-hydroxypiperidin-5-yl described in U.S.Pat. No. 6,458,810, which is incorporated herein by reference.Representative compounds are of formula:

wherein:

the carbon atoms designated * constitute centers of chirality;

X is —C(O)— or —CH₂—;

R¹ is alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms or —NHR³;

R² is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or halogen; and

R³ is hydrogen,

alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, unsubstituted or substituted with alkoxyof 1 to 8 carbon atoms, halo, amino, or alkylamino of 1 to 4 carbonatoms,

cycloalkyl of 3 to 18 carbon atoms,

phenyl, unsubstituted or substituted with alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms,alkoxy of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, halo, amino, or alkylamino of 1 to 4carbon atoms,

benzyl, unsubstituted or substituted with alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms,alkoxy of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, halo, amino, or alkylamino of 1 to 4carbon atoms, or —COR⁴ in which

R⁴ is hydrogen,

alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, unsubstituted or substituted with alkoxyof 1 to 8 carbon atoms, halo, amino, or alkylamino of 1 to 4 carbonatoms,

cycloalkyl of 3 to 18 carbon atoms,

phenyl, unsubstituted or substituted with alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms,alkoxy of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, halo, amino, or alkylamino of 1 to 4carbon atoms, or

benzyl, unsubstituted or substituted with alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms,alkoxy of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, halo, amino, or alkylamino of 1 to 4carbon atoms.

Compounds provided herein can either be commercially purchased orprepared according to the methods described in the patents or patentpublications disclosed herein. Further, optically pure compounds can beasymmetrically synthesized or resolved using known resolving agents orchiral columns as well as other standard synthetic organic chemistrytechniques.

Various immunomodulatory compounds contain one or more chiral centers,and can exist as racemic mixtures of enantiomers or mixtures ofdiastereomers. Encompassed is the use of stereomerically pure forms ofsuch compounds, as well as the use of mixtures of those forms. Forexample, mixtures comprising equal or unequal amounts of the enantiomersof a particular immunomodulatory compounds may be used in methods andcompositions provided herein. These isomers may be asymmetricallysynthesized or resolved using standard techniques such as chiral columnsor chiral resolving agents. See, e.g., Jacques, J., et al, Enantiomers,Racemates and Resolutions (Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1981); Wilen,S. H., et al, Tetrahedron 33:2725 (1977); Eliel, E. L., Stereochemistryof Carbon Compounds (McGraw-Hill, N.Y., 1962); and Wilen, S. H., Tablesof Resolving Agents and Optical Resolutions p. 268 (E. L. Eliel, Ed.,Univ. of Notre Dame Press, Notre Dame, Ind., 1972).

It should be noted that if there is a discrepancy between a depictedstructure and a name given that structure, the depicted structure is tobe accorded more weight. In addition, if the stereochemistry of astructure or a portion of a structure is not indicated with, forexample, bold or dashed lines, the structure or portion of the structureis to be interpreted as encompassing all stereoisomers of it.

5.9. Administration of PINK Cells, Human Placental Perfusate, orCombined Natural Killer Cells

The PINK cells, human placental perfusate cells, combined natural killercells, populations of cells comprising such cells, or combinationsthereof, may be administered to an individual, e.g., an individualhaving tumor cells, e.g., a cancer patient, by any medically-acceptableroute known in the art suitable to the administration of live cells. Invarious embodiments, the cells provided herein may be surgicallyimplanted, injected, infused, e.g., by way of a catheter or syringe, orotherwise administered directly or indirectly to the site in need ofrepair or augmentation. In one embodiment, the cells are administered toan individual intravenously. In another embodiment, the cells areadministered to the individual at the site of a tumor, e.g., a solidtumor. In a specific embodiment in which the individual has a tumor atmore than one site, the cells are administered to at least two, or all,tumor sites. In certain other embodiments, the cells provided herein, orcompositions comprising the cells, are administered orally, nasally,intraarterially, parenterally, ophthalmically, intramuscularly,subcutaneously, intraperitoneally, intracerebrally, intraventricularly,intracerebroventricularly, intrathecally, intracisternally,intraspinally and/or perispinally. In certain specific embodiments, thecells are delivered via intracranial or intravertebral needles and/orcatheters with or without pump devices.

The PINK cells, human placental perfusate cells, combined natural killercells, or combinations thereof, or cell populations comprising suchcells, can be administered to an individual in a composition, e.g., amatrix, hydrogel, scaffold, or the like that comprise the cells.

In one embodiment, the cells provided herein are seeded onto a naturalmatrix, e.g., a placental biomaterial such as an amniotic membranematerial. Such an amniotic membrane material can be, e.g., amnioticmembrane dissected directly from a mammalian placenta; fixed orheat-treated amniotic membrane, substantially dry (i.e., <20% H₂O)amniotic membrane, chorionic membrane, substantially dry chorionicmembrane, substantially dry amniotic and chorionic membrane, and thelike. Preferred placental biomaterials on which placental stem cells canbe seeded are described in Hariri, U.S. Application Publication No.2004/0048796, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

In another embodiment, the PINK cells, human placental perfusate cells,combined natural killer cells, or combinations thereof, or cellpopulations comprising such cells, are suspended in a hydrogel solutionsuitable for, e.g., injection. Suitable hydrogels for such compositionsinclude self-assembling peptides, such as RAD16. In one embodiment, ahydrogel solution comprising the cells can be allowed to harden, forinstance in a mold, to form a matrix having cells dispersed therein forimplantation. The cells in such a matrix can also be cultured so thatthe cells are mitotically expanded prior to implantation. The hydrogelcan be, for example, an organic polymer (natural or synthetic) that iscross-linked via covalent, ionic, or hydrogen bonds to create athree-dimensional open-lattice structure that entraps water molecules toform a gel. Hydrogel-forming materials include polysaccharides such asalginate and salts thereof, peptides, polyphosphazines, andpolyacrylates, which are crosslinked ionically, or block polymers suchas polyethylene oxide-polypropylene glycol block copolymers which arecrosslinked by temperature or pH, respectively. In some embodiments, thehydrogel or matrix of the invention is biodegradable.

In some embodiments of the invention, the formulation comprises an insitu polymerizable gel (see., e.g., U.S. Patent Application Publication2002/0022676; Anseth et al., J. Control Relecise, 78(1-3):199-209(2002); Wang et al., Biomaterials, 24(22):3969-80 (2003).

In some embodiments, the polymers are at least partially soluble inaqueous solutions, such as water, buffered salt solutions, or aqueousalcohol solutions, that have charged side groups, or a monovalent ionicsalt thereof. Examples of polymers having acidic side groups that can bereacted with cations are poly(phosphazenes), poly(acrylic acids),poly(methacrylic acids), copolymers of acrylic acid and methacrylicacid, poly(vinyl acetate), and sulfonated polymers, such as sulfonatedpolystyrene. Copolymers having acidic side groups formed by reaction ofacrylic or methacrylic acid and vinyl ether monomers or polymers canalso be used. Examples of acidic groups are carboxylic acid groups,sulfonic acid groups, halogenated (preferably fluorinated) alcoholgroups, phenolic OH groups, and acidic OH groups.

The placental stem cells of the invention or co-cultures thereof can beseeded onto a three-dimensional framework or scaffold and implanted invivo. Such a framework can be implanted in combination with any one ormore growth factors, cells, drugs or other components that stimulatetissue formation or otherwise enhance or improve the practice of theinvention.

Examples of scaffolds that can be used in the present invention includenonwoven mats, porous foams, or self assembling peptides. Nonwoven matscan be formed using fibers comprised of a synthetic absorbable copolymerof glycolic and lactic acids (e.g., PGA/PLA) (VICRYL, Ethicon, Inc.,Somerville, N.J.). Foams, composed of, e.g.,poly(ε-caprolactone)/poly(glycolic acid) (PCL/PGA) copolymer, formed byprocesses such as freeze-drying, or lyophilization (see, e.g., U.S. Pat.No. 6,355,699), can also be used as scaffolds.

Placental stem cells of the invention can also be seeded onto, orcontacted with, a physiologically-acceptable ceramic material including,but not limited to, mono-, di-, tri-, alpha-tri-, beta-tri-, andtetra-calcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, fluoroapatites, calciumsulfates, calcium fluorides, calcium oxides, calcium carbonates,magnesium calcium phosphates, biologically active glasses such asBIOGLASS®, and mixtures thereof. Porous biocompatible ceramic materialscurrently commercially available include SURGIBONE® (CanMedica Corp.,Canada), ENDOBON® (Merck Biomaterial France, France), CEROSI™ (Mathys,AG, Bettlach, Switzerland), and mineralized collagen bone graftingproducts such as HEALOS™ (DePuy, Inc., Raynham, Mass.) and VITOSS®,RHAKOSS™, and CORTOSS® (Orthovita, Malvern, Pa.). The framework can be amixture, blend or composite of natural and/or synthetic materials.

In another embodiment, placental stem cells can be seeded onto, orcontacted with, a felt, which can be, e.g., composed of a multifilamentyarn made from a bioabsorbable material such as PGA, PLA, PCL copolymersor blends, or hyaluronic acid.

The placental stem cells of the invention can, in another embodiment, beseeded onto foam scaffolds that may be composite structures. Such foamscaffolds can be molded into a useful shape, such as that of a portionof a specific structure in the body to be repaired, replaced oraugmented. In some embodiments, the framework is treated, e.g., with0.1M acetic acid followed by incubation in polylysine, PBS, and/orcollagen, prior to inoculation of the cells of the invention in order toenhance cell attachment. External surfaces of a matrix may be modifiedto improve the attachment or growth of cells and differentiation oftissue, such as by plasma-coating the matrix, or addition of one or moreproteins (e.g., collagens, elastic fibers, reticular fibers),glycoproteins, glycosaminoglycans (e.g., heparin sulfate,chondroitin-4-sulfate, chondroitin-6-sulfate, dermatan sulfate, keratinsulfate, etc.), a cellular matrix, and/or other materials such as, butnot limited to, gelatin, alginates, agar, agarose, and plant gums, andthe like.

In some embodiments, the scaffold comprises, or is treated with,materials that render it non-thrombogenic. These treatments andmaterials may also promote and sustain endothelial growth, migration,and extracellular matrix deposition. Examples of these materials andtreatments include but are not limited to natural materials such asbasement membrane proteins such as laminin and Type IV collagen,synthetic materials such as EPTFE, and segmented polyurethaneureasilicones, such as PURSPAN™ (The Polymer Technology Group, Inc.,Berkeley, Calif.). The scaffold can also comprise anti-thrombotic agentssuch as heparin; the scaffolds can also be treated to alter the surfacecharge (e.g., coating with plasma) prior to seeding with placental stemcells.

6. EXAMPLES 6.1. Example 1 Characterization of Placenta-DerivedIntermediate Natural Killer Cells from Placental Perfusate and UmbilicalCord Blood

The present example demonstrates the isolation and culture of naturalkiller cells from human placental perfusate.

Isolation of placental natural killer cells. Natural killer cells wereisolated from 8 units of human placental perfusate (HPP), and from 4units of umbilical cord blood (UCB), using CD56-conjugated microbeads.Isolation of PINK cells was conducted by magnetic bead selection(Miltenyi Biotec). The post partum placenta was exsanguinated andperfused with about 200 to about 750 mL of perfusion solution (0.9% NaClinjection solution USP Grade (Cat No. 68200-804, VWR). The unprocessedperfusate was collected and processed to remove erythrocytes.Mononuclear cells from HPP or UCB were washed one time withfluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) buffer (RPMI 1640, withoutphenol red, plus 5% FBS), then centrifuged at 1500 rpm for 6 minutes.The cell number was counted, and the cell pellet was resuspended in 80μL of buffer per 107 total cells with 20 μL of CD3 Microbeads (CatalogNo. 130-050-101, Miltenyi). The system was mixed well and incubated for15 minutes at 4-8° C. 1-2 mL of buffer per 10⁷ total cells was added,and the mixture was then centrifuged at 300 g for 10 minutes. Thesupernatant was pipetted off completely. The cell pellet was resuspendedup to 10⁸ cells in 500 μL of buffer and prepared for magneticseparation. An LS column (Miltenyi Biotec) was placed in the magneticfield of a MIDIMACS™ cell separator (Miltenyi Biotec), 3 mL buffer wasapplied to rinse the column, and the cell/microbead suspension wasapplied to the column. Unlabeled CD3⁻ cells, which passed through thecolumn and which would include natural killer cells, were collected,together with 2×3 mL washing buffer. The CD3⁻ cells were counted, washedone time, then were stained with CD56 MicroBeads (Cat#: 130-050-401,Miltenyi), and separated/isolated using the same protocol as for the CD3microbead separation described above. A CD56+CD3− population was thuscollected and ready for further analysis. The percentage range ofnatural killer cells was 3.52 to 11.6 (median 6.04, average 5.22) inHPP, and 1.06 to 8.44 in UCB (median: 3.42, average: 4.2). CD56microbead selection of natural killer cells from HPP produced apopulation that was approximately 80% pure. See FIG. 1. Among the wholeCD56⁺, CD3⁻ natural killer cell population, the percentage range ofCD56⁺, CD16⁻ natural killer cells (that is, PINK cells) was 56.6 to 87.2(median 74.2, average 65.5) from HPP, and 53.7 to 96.6 (median 72.8)from UCB. The percentage range of CD56⁺, CD16⁺ natural killer cells was12.8 to 43.3 (median 25.8, average 34.5) from HPP, and 3.4 to 46.3(median 27.3, average 33.4) for UCB.

In other experiments, natural killer cells were isolated using amagnetic negative selection kit that targets cell surface antigens onhuman blood cells (CD3, CD4, CD14, CD19, CD20, CD36, CD66b, CD123,HLA-DR, glycophorin A). HPP and UCB cryopreserved units were thawed anddiluted at 1:1 with Thaw media (RPMI Media 1640 (Catalog #22400, Gibco)plus 20% Fetal Bovine Serum-Heat Inactivated (Catalog #SH30070.03,Hyclone)) and centrifuged at 1500 rpm for 8 minutes. The supernatant wasremoved and ammonium chloride treatment was applied to further depleteerythrocytes; each unit was resuspended in approximately 30 mL of icecold FACS buffer (RPMI 1640, without phenol red, plus 5% FBS), and then60 mL ice cold ammonium chloride (Catalog #07850, Stem Cell) was added,the solution was vortexed and then incubated on ice for 5 minutes. Themononuclear cells were then washed with FACS buffer 3 times and thencentrifuged at 1500 rpm for 8 minutes. The cell number was counted andthe cell pellet was resuspended in 5×10⁷ live cells/ml in RoboSep Buffer(Catalog #20104, Stem Cell) plus 0.1 mg/mL DNAase I solution (Catalog#07900, Stem Cell) was added to the cell suspension, mixed gently bypipette and incubated 15 minutes at room temperature prior to isolation.Clumps were removed from the cell suspension by filtering with 40 μmmesh nylon strainer (Catalog #352340, BD Falcon) before proceeding toisolation. Isolation is automated by the device RoboSep (Catalog #20000,Stem Cell) and the program “Human NK Negative Selection 19055 and highrecovery” (50 μL/mL cocktail addition, 100 μL/mL Microparticle addition,10 and 5 minute incubations, 1×2.5 minute separations) with Human NKCell Enrichment Kit (Catalog #19055, Stem Cell) including EasySepNegative Selection Human NK Cell Enrichment Cocktail and EasySepMagnetic Microparticles. A CD56⁺CD3⁻ population was thus collected andready for further analysis.

Expansion of Natural Killer Cells. In general, natural killer cells wereexpanded as follows. Start Medium for natural killer cell culture wasprepared based on a modification of a protocol described in Yssel etal., J. Immunol. Methods 72(1):219-227 (1984) and Litwin et al., J. Exp.Med. 178(4):1321-1326 (1993). Briefly, Start Medium includes IMDM(Invitrogen) with 10% FCS (Hyclone), containing the following reagentswith final concentration of 35 μg/mL transferrin (Sigma-Aldrich), 5μg/mL insulin (Sigma-Aldrich), 2×10⁻⁵ M ethanolamine (Sigma-Aldrich), 1μg/mL oleic acid (Sigma-Aldrich), 1 μg/mL linoleic acid (Sigma-Aldrich),0.2 μg/mL palmitic acid (Sigma-Aldrich), 2.5 μg/mL BSA (Sigma-Aldrich)and 0.1 μg/mL Phytohemagglutinin (PHA-P, Sigma-Aldrich). CD56⁺CD3⁻ NKcells were resuspended at 2.5×10⁵ live cells/mL Start Medium plus 200iu/mL IL-2 (R&D Systems) in cell culture treated 24-well plate or Tflask. Mitomycin C-treated allogenic PBMC and K562 cells (chronicmyelogenous leukemia cell line) were both added to the Start Medium asfeeder cells, to a final concentration of 1×10⁶ per mL. NK cells werecultured for 5-6 days at 37° C. in 5% CO₂. After 5-6 days and then every3-4 days an equal volume of Maintenance Medium (IMDM with 10% FCS, 2%Human AB serum, antibiotics, L-glutamine and 400 units of IL-2 per mL)was added to the culture. NK cells were harvested at day 21.

Characterization of Placenta-Derived Intermediate Natural Killer Cells.Donor matched HPP and CB was thawed, and the cells were washed with FACSbuffer (RPMI-1640 with 5% FBS). Natural killer cells were then enrichedwith CD56 microbeads using the ROBOSEP® magnetic separation system(StemCell Technologies) as instructed by the manufacturer. The CD56enriched natural killer cell population was stained with the followingantibodies (BD Bioscience if not otherwise indicated) forimmunophenotypic characterization: anti-CD56 conjugated to PE-Cy-7,anti-CD3 APC Cy7, anti-CD16 FITC, anti-NKG2D APC, anti-NKp46 APC,anti-CD94 PE (R&D), anti-NKB1 PE, and anti-KIR-NKAT2 PE. CD94, NKG2D andNKp46 are markers absent, or showing reduced expression, in NK cellprogenitors but present on fully-differentiated NK cells. See Freud etal., “Evidence for Discrete States of Human Natural Killer CellDifferentiation In Vivo,” J. Exp. Med. 203(4):1033-1043 (2006); Eagle &Trowsdale, “Promiscuity and the Single Receptor: NKG2D,” Nature ReviewsImmunology Published online Aug. 3, 2007; Walzer et al., “Natural KillerCells: From CD3⁻NKp46⁺ to Post-Genomics Meta-Analyses,” Curr. OpinionImmunol. 19:365-372 (2007). As shown in Table 1, expression of KIR3DL1,KIR2DL2/L3, NKG2D, NKp46 and CD94 was not significantly differentbetween an enriched CD56⁺ cell population from HPP and an HLA-matchedCD56⁺ cell population from umbilical cord blood (CB).

TABLE 1 Percentage of NK cells bearing certain marker combinations. Meanof 3 samples. Mean (%) CB HPP p value CD3−CD56+ 0.6 0.7 0.799CD3−CD56+CD16− 53.9 58.7 0.544 CD3−CD56+CD16+ 46.1 41.3 0.544CD3−CD56+KIR3DL1+ 5.8 7.3 0.762 CD3−CD56+KIR2DL2/L3+ 10.7 9.9 0.89CD3−CD56+NKG2D+ 60.3 58.5 0.865 CD3−CD56+CD94+ 74.6 76.8 0.839

6.2. Example 2 Characterization of Placenta-Derived Intermediate NaturalKiller Cells From Combined Placental Perfusate and Umbilical Cord Blood

Donor matched mononucleated cells of umbilical cord blood and placentalperfusate (combo) were mixed and washed with FACS buffer (RPMI-1640 with5% FBS) once and immunophenotypically characterized using the antibodieslisted in Table 2 on a BD FACSCanto (BD Biosciences). The data wereanalyzed by FlowJo software (Tree Star).

TABLE 2 List of antibodies used in immunophenotypic characterization.Item vendor Cat No. FITC anti-hu CD3 BD Bioscience 555332 FITC anti-huCD3 Miltenyi 130-080-401 APC-Cy7 anti-hu CD3 BD Bioscience 557832 FITCanti-hu CD16 BD Bioscience 555406 PE-Cy5 anti-hu CD16 BD Bioscience555408 PE anti-hu CD56 BD Bioscience 555516 PE anti-hu CD56 Miltenyi130-090-755 PE-CY5 anti-hu CD56 BD Bioscience 555517 PE-Cy7 anti-hu CD56BD Bioscience 557747 PE anti-hu CD94 R&D FAB-1058P PE anti-hu KIR-NKAT2(2DL2/L3) BD Bioscience 556071 PE anit-hu NKB1(3DL1) BD Bioscience555967 APC anit-hu NKG2D BD Bioscience 558071 APC anit-hu NKp46 BDBioscience 558051 PE anti-hu CD226 BD Bioscience 559789 PE anit-hu NKp44BD Bioscience 558563 PE anti-hu NKp30 BD Bioscience 558407 PE anti-hu2B4 BD Bioscience 550816 Isotype FITC mouse IgG1 BD Bioscience 340755Isotype FITC mouse IgG2b BD Bioscience 556577 Isotype PE mouse IgG1 BDBioscience 340761 Isotype PE mouse IgG2b BO Bioscience 555743 IsotypePerCP mouse IgG1 BD Bioscience 340762 Isotype PE-Cy5 mouse IgG2b BDBioscience 555744 Isotype APC mouse IgG1 BD Bioscience 340754 IsotypeAPC mouse IgG2a BD Bioscience 555576 Isotype APC-Cy7 mouse IgG1 BDBioscience 348802 Isotype PE-Cy7 mouse IgG1 BD Bioscience 348798

Immunophenotypic Characterization of Placental NK Cells And PeripheralBlood (PB) NK Cells. NK cells can be divided into two main groups:CD56⁺CD16⁺ NK cells, and CD56⁺CD16⁻ cells. CD56⁺CD16⁺ NK cells haveabundant cytolytic granules and high expression of CD16, and aretherefore capable of eliciting antibody-dependent cell-mediatedcytotoxicity (ADCC). CD56⁺CD16⁻ NK cells, conversely, have very fewcytolytic granules, low or no expression of CD16, but are capable ofproducing cytokines and chemokines upon activation. Individual NK cellsdisplay a diverse repertoire of activating and inhibitory receptors,including the killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs, e.g., KIR3DL1,and KIR2DL2/3), natural cytotoxicity receptors NCRs (e.g., NKp30, NKp44,and NKp46), killer cell lectin-like receptors (KLRs; e.g., CD94, NKG2D),2B4 and CD226.

FACS analysis was performed on placental NK and peripheral blood NKcells using fluorescence-conjugated mAbs against specific NK receptors.Among 11 NK subsets characterized, the numbers of cells in seven out of11 NK subsets (CD3⁻CD56⁺CD16⁻, CD3⁻CD56⁺CD16⁺, CD3⁻CD56⁺KIR2DL2/3⁺,CD3⁻CD56⁺NKp46⁺, CD3⁻CD56⁺NKp30⁺, CD3⁻CD56⁺2B4⁺ and CD3⁻CD56⁺CD94⁺)showed significant difference (p<0.05) between placental NK andperipheral blood NK cells (accounted for 64% difference) (Table 3A; seealso Tables 3B and 3C).

TABLE 3A Phenotypic characterization of CD3⁻CD56⁺ NK cells in 16 unitsof combined donor-matched umbilical cord blood and human placentalperfusate (combo) and 13 units of peripheral blood (PB). The two-samplet-test is used to determine if population means are equal in placentaland peripheral blood units. Combo (16 units) PB (13 units) Surfacemarkers Mean % Mean % P Value CD3−CD56+ 2.2 2.4 0.728 CD3−CD56+CD 16−60.9 21.4 0.000 CD3−CD56+CD16+ 39.1 78.6 0.000 CD3−CD56+KIR3DL1 12.3 7.10.099 CD3−CD56+KIR2DL2/L3 21.9 9.5 0.004 CD3−CD56+NKG2D 42.1 29.9 0.126CD3−CD56+NKp46 7.0 18.9 0.011 CD3−CD56+CD226 16.0 26.7 0.135CD3−CD56+NKp44 9.5 4.9 0.073 CD3−CD56+NKp30 39.1 19.0 0.006 CD3−CD56+2B411.1 4.5 0.019 CD3−CD56+CD94 71.3 26.2 0.000Tables 3B and 3C show the phenotypic characterization of CD3⁻CD56⁺CD16⁻and CD3⁻CD56⁺CD16⁺ NK cells in 16 units of combined donor-matchedumbilical cord blood and human placental perfusate (combo) and 13 unitsof peripheral blood (PB) in a separate experiment.

TABLE 3B Combo PB Surface markers Mean % Mean % P Value CD3−CD56+CD16−62.3 14.1 0.000 CD3−CD56+CD16−KIR3DL1 7.8 1.5 0.004 CD3−CD56+CD16−NKG2D43.5 42.7 0.941 CD3−CD56+CD16− 13.6 2.4 0.000 KIR2DL2/L3CD3−CD56+CD16−NKp46 6.7 43.6 0.001 CD3−CD56+CD16−CD94 69.8 48.5 0.057CD3−CD56+CD16−CD226 7.6 4.9 0.068 CD3−CD56+CD16−NKp44 3.4 0.6 0.076CD3−CD56+CD16−NKp30 46.7 22.0 0.000 CD3−CD56+CD16−2B4 3.7 0.5 0.078

TABLE 3C Combo PB Surface markers Mean % Mean % P Value CD3−CD56+CD16+37.7 85.9 0.000 CD3−CD56+CD16+KIR3DL1 21.5 8.9 0.014 CD3−CD56+CD16+NKG2D42.1 28.5 0.066 CD3− 34.5 12.1 0.000 CD56+CD16+KIR2DL2/L3CD3−CD56+CD16+NKp46 10.4 14.5 0.242 CD3−CD56+CD16+CD94 72.9 23.8 0.000CD3−CD56+CD16+CD226 35.5 32.6 0.347 CD3−CD56+CD16+NKp44 22.6 6.4 0.016CD3−CD56+CD16+NKp30 45.7 19.7 0.000 CD3−CD56+CD16+2B4 31.2 6.1 0.008

60.9% of placental NK cells are CD56⁺CD16⁻ (placenta-derivedintermediate natural killer (PINK) cells) while only 21.4% of peripheralblood NK cells are CD56⁺CD16⁻. After cultivation for 21 days, thepercentage of four out 11 NK subsets (CD3⁻CD56⁺KIR2DL2/3⁺,CD3⁻CD56⁺NKp46⁺, CD3⁻CD56⁺NKp44⁺ and CD3⁻CD56NKp30⁺) showed significantdifference (p<0.05) between placental and peripheral blood NK cells(Table 4).

TABLE 4 Phenotypic characterization of day 21-cultured NK cells derivedfrom 12 units of combined donor-matched umbilical cord blood and humanplacental perfusate (Combo), and 9 units of peripheral blood (PB). Thetwo-sample t-test is used to determine if population means are equal incombo and peripheral blood units. Combo (16 units) PB (13 units) Surfacemarkers Mean % Mean % P Value CD3−CD56+ 2.2 2.4 0.728 CD3−CD56+CD16−60.9 21.4 0.000 CD3−CD56+CD16+ 39.1 78.6 0.000 CD3−CD56+KIR3DL1 12.3 7.10.099 CD3−CD56+KIR2DL2/L3 21.9 9.5 0.004 CD3−CD56+NKG2D 42.1 29.9 0.126CD3−CD56+NKp46 7.0 18.9 0.011 CD3−CD56+CD226 16.0 26.7 0.135CD3−CD56+NKp44 9.5 4.9 0.073 CD3−CD56+NKp30 39.1 19.0 0.008 CD3−CD56+2B411.1 4.5 0.019 CD3−CD56+CD94 71.3 26.2 0.000

In addition, in a separate experiment, it was determined that, aftercultivation for 21 days, placental and peripheral blood NK cellsdemonstrated unique cytokine profiles, particularly for IL-8, asdetermined by Luminex assay (Table 5).

TABLE 5 PB Combo Cytokine (pg/mL) (pg/mL) IL-13 1.26 1.89 IL-8 6.6115.77 IL-10 1.26 2.23 TNFa 0.28 0.34 MCP-1 10.49 11.32

MicroRNA Profiling of Placental NK Cells And Peripheral Blood NK Cells.Isolated or expanded NK cells were subjected to microRNA (miRNA)preparation using a MIRVANA™ miRNA Isolation Kit (Ambion, Cat#1560). NKcells (0.5 to 1.5×10⁶ cells) were disrupted in a denaturing lysisbuffer. Next, samples were subjected to acid-phenol+chloroformextraction to isolate RNA highly enriched for small RNA species. 100%ethanol was added to bring the samples to 25% ethanol. When thislysate/ethanol mixture was passed through a glass fiber filter, largeRNAs were immobilized, and the small RNA species were collected in thefiltrate. The ethanol concentration of the filtrate was then increasedto 55%, and the mixture was passed through a second glass fiber filterwhere the small RNAs became immobilized. This RNA was washed a fewtimes, and eluted in a low ionic strength solution. The concentrationand purity of the recovered small RNA was determined by measuring itsabsorbance at 260 and 280 nm.

miRNAs found to be unique for PINK cells are shown in Table 6. OnemiRNA, designated hsa-miR-199b, was found to be unique for peripheralblood NK cells.

TABLE 6 miRNA profiling for piNK cells and PB NK cells via qRT-PCR. SEQSanger  ID miRNA ID Accession No. Sequence  NO hsa-miR- MIMAT0000098aacccguagauccgaacuugug 1 100 hsa-miR- MIMAT0000446ucggauccgucugagcuuggcu 2 127 hsa-miR- MIMAT0000268uucccuuugucauccuucgccu 3 211 hsa-miR- MIMAT0000717uaagugcuuccauguuucagugg 4 302c hsa-miR- MIMAT0000756ccucugggcccuuccuccag 5 326 hsa-miR- MIMAT0000754 uccagcuccuauaugaugccuuu6 337 hsa-miR- MIMAT0002820 cagcagcacacugugguuugu 7 497 hsa-miR-MIMAT0002823 aagugcugucadaqcugagguc 8 512-3p hsa-miR- MIMAT0002826uucuccaaaagaaagcacuuucug 9 515-5p hsa-miR- MIMAT0002857ucgugcaucccuuuagaguguu 10 517b hsa-miR- MIMAT0002866aucgugcauceuuuuagagugu 11 517c hsa-miR- MIMAT0002863aaagcgcuucccuuugcugga 12 518a hsa-miR- MIMAT0002861aaagcgcuucccuucagagug 13 518e hsa-miR- MIMAT0002853caaagugccucccuuuagagug 14 519d hsa-miR- MIMAT0002858acaaagugcuucccuuuagagugu 15 520g hsa-miR- MIMAT0002867acaaagugcuucccuuuagagu 16 520h hsa-miR- MIMAT0003228 aggcacggugucagcaggc17 564 hsa-miR- MIMAT0003230 gggcgccugugaucccaac 18 566 hsa-miR-MIMAT0003287 aaacucuacuuguccuucugagu 19 618 hsa-miR- MIMAT0000097aacccguagauccgaucuugug 20 99a

Immunophenotypic Characterization of Cultured Placental NK Cells andUncultured NK Cells. The overall properties of cultured PINK cells wereevaluated by extensive immunophenotypic studies and cytotoxicity assays.To determine the phenotype of expanded NK cells, expression of NKreceptors (NKRs) such as KIRs, NKG2D, NKp46, NKp44 and 2B4 wereanalyzed. Cytotoxicity assays were performed by labeling tumor cells(K562 cells) with PKH26 then co-culturing with PINK cells for 4 hours.From day 0 to day 21 the expression of NKG2D was increased from60.9%±4.8% to 86%±17.4% (p value of 0.024); NKp46 was increased from10.5%±5.4% to 82.8%±9.0% (p value of 0.00002); NKp44 was increased from9.6%±6.5% to 51.6%±27.5% (p value of 0.022); and 2B4 was decreased from13.0%±7.1% to 0.65%±0.5% (p value of 0.009%)(Table 7). Under theseculture conditions the inhibitory KIRs including KIR3DL1 (killer cellimmunoglobulin-like receptor, three domains, long cytoplasmic tail 1, aninhibitory receptor) and KIDL2DL2/L3 (killer cell immunoglobulin-likereceptor, two domains, long cytoplasmic tail 2 and long cytoplasmic tail3; inhibitory receptors) remained not affected during 21-day expansion.The changes in the expression NKRs were further correlated with a markedincrease in cytolytic activity at day 21 versus day 14 against K562cells (63%±15% versus 45%±4%, p value of 0.0004). These findings haveled to identification of the putative markers of NK cells whichcorrelate well with the NK cell cytotoxicity activity.

TABLE 7 Phenotypic characterization of piNK cells before and after21-day cultivation. Standard deviation (Stdev) was calculated forpopulation means for 5 donors. Day 0 Day 21 Mean % Stdev Mean % StdevCD3−CD56+ 2.9 1.1 85.5 8.6 CD3−CD56+CD16− 62.6 20.2 27.8 8.3CD3−CD56+CD16+ 37.4 20.2 72.2 8.3 CD3−CD56+KIR3DL1+ 22.7 4.2 20.0 16.7CD3−CD56+KIR2DL2/L3+ 28.4 4.2 29.6 6.4 CD3−CD56+NKG2D+ 60.9 4.8 86.017.4 CD3−CD56+NKp46+ 10.5 5.4 82.8 8.9 CD3−CD56+CD226+ 19.5 7.4 14.113.3 CD3−CD56+NKp44+ 9.6 6.5 51.6 27.5 CD3−CD56+NKp30+ 58.9 7.0 76.519.4 CD3−CD56+2B4+ 13.0 7.1 0.6 0.5 CD3−CD56+CD94+ 79.7 4.9 63.9 19.4

Membrane Proteomic Profiling of Cultured Placental NK Cells and CulturedPeripheral Blood NK Cells via Lipid-Based Protein ImmobilizationTechnology and Linear Ion Trap LC/MS. Membrane Protein Purification:Placental natural killer cells from combined placental perfusate andcord blood cells, and PB NK cells, cultured for 21 days, were incubatedfor 15 min with a protease inhibitor cocktail solution (P8340, SigmaAldrich, St. Louis, Mo.; contains 4-(2-aminoethyl)benzenesulfonylfluoride (AEBSF), pepstatin A, E-64, bestatin, leupeptin, and aprotinin,without metal chelators) prior to cell lysis. The cells were then lysedby the addition of a 10 mM HCl solution, without detergents, andcentrifuged for 10 min at 400 g to pellet and remove the nuclei. Thepost-nuclear supernatant was transferred to an ultracentrigution tubeand centrifuged on a WX80 ultracentrifuge with T-1270 rotor (ThermoFisher Scientific, Asheville, N.C.) at 100,000 g for 150 minutesgenerating a membrane protein pellet.

Generation, Immobilization and Digestion of Proteoliposomes: Themembrane protein pellet was washed several times using NANOXIS® buffer(10 mM Tris, 300 mM NaCl, pH 8). The membrane protein pellet wassuspended in 1.5 mL of NANOXIS™ buffer and then tip-sonicated using aVIBRA-CELL™ VC505 ultrasonic processor (Sonics & Materials, Inc.,Newtown, Conn.) for 20 minutes on ice. The size of the proteoliposomeswas determined by staining with FM1-43 dye (Invitrogen, Carlsbad,Calif.) and visualization with fluorescence microscopy. The proteinconcentration of the proteoliposome suspension was determined by a BCAassay (Thermo Scientific). The proteoliposomes were then injected ontoan LPI™Flow Cell (Nanoxis AB, Gothenburg, Sweden) using a standardpipette tip and allowed to immobilize for 1 hour. After immobilization,a series of washing steps were carried out and trypsin at 5 μg/mL(Princeton Separations, Adelphi, N.J.) was injected directly onto theLPI™ Flow Cell. The chip was incubated overnight at 37° C. Trypticpeptides were then eluted from the chip and then desalted using aSep-Pak cartridge (Waters Corporation, Milford, Mass.).

Strong Cation-Exchange (SCX) Fractionation: Tryptic peptides werereconstituted in a 0.1% formic acid/water solution and loaded onto astrong-cation exchange (SCX) TOP-TIP™ column (PolyLC, Columbia, Md.), apipette tip packed with 30 μm polysufoETHYL aspartamide SCX packingmaterial. Peptides were eluted from the SCX TOP-TIP™ using astep-gradient of ammonium formate buffer, pH 2.8 (10 mM-500 mM). EachSCX fraction was dried using a speed-vac system and reconstituted with5% acetonitrile, 0.1% Formic Acid in preparation for downstream LC/MSanalysis.

LTQ Linear Ion Trap LC/MS/MS Analysis: Each SCX fraction was separatedon a 0.2 mm×150 mm 3 μm 200 Å MAGIC C18 column (Michrom Bioresources,Inc., Auburn, Calif.) that was interfaced directly to an axialdesolvation vacuum-assisted nanocapillary electrospray ionization(ADVANCE) source (Michrom Bioresources, Inc.) using a 180 min gradient(Buffer A: Water, 0.1% Formic Acid; Buffer B: Acetonitrile, 0.1% FormicAcid). The ADVANCE source achieves a sensitivity that is comparable totraditional nanoESI while operating at a considerably higher flow rateof 3 μL/min. Eluted peptides were analyzed on an LTQ linear ion trapmass spectrometer (Thermo Fisher Scientific, San Jose, Calif.) thatemployed ten data-dependent MS/MS scans following each full scan massspectrum.

Bioinformatics: Six RAW files corresponding to the 6 salt fractions thatwere collected for each tumor cell line (AML, CML) were searched as asingle search against the IPI Human Database using an implementation ofthe SEQUEST algorithm on a SORCERER™ SOLO™ workstation (Sage-N Research,San Jose, Calif.). A peptide mass tolerance of 1.2 amu was specified,oxidation of methionine was specified as a differential modification,and carbamidomethylation was specified as a static modification. AScaffold software implementation of the Trans-Proteomic Pipeline (TPP)was used to sort and parse the membrane proteomic data. Proteins wereconsidered for analysis if they were identified with a peptideprobability of 95%, protein probability of 95% and 1 unique peptide.Comparisons between membrane proteomic datasets were made using customPerl scripts that were developed in-house.

The analysis revealed the identification of 8 membrane proteins fromcultured placental NK cells that were unique with respect to membraneproteins identified from peripheral blood NK cells. See Table 8.Further, 8 membrane proteins were identified from peripheral blood NKcells that were unique with respect to cultured placental NK cells. SeeTable 8. Only 10 membrane proteins identified were found to be sharedamong both cultured placental NK cells and peripheral blood NK cells.

TABLE 8 PROTEINS SPECIFIC FOR PROTEINS SPECIFIC FOR PLACENTAL NK CELLSPB NK CELLS Aminopeptidase N Fibroblast growth factor receptor 4precursor Apolipoprotein E Immunity-associated nucleotide 4-like 1protein Atrophin-1 interacting protein 1 Integrin alpha-L precursorInnexin inx-3 Integrin beta-2 precursor Integrin alpha-2 precursorIntegrin beta-4 precursor Integrin beta-5 precursor Membrane-bound lyticmurein transglycosylase D precursor Mast cell surface glycoproteinOxysterol binding protein-related GP49B precursor protein 8 Ryanodinereceptor 1 Perforin 1 precursor

6.3. Example 3 Natural Killer Cell Cytotoxicity Towards Tumor Cells

This example demonstrates that placental intermediate natural killercells are cytotoxic towards tumor cells. PINK cells from HPP arecytotoxic to acute myelogenous leukemia cells, as demonstrated in acytotoxicity assay and by Luminex analysis of NK cell cytokinesecretion.

In the cytokine secretion assay, CD56 microbead-enriched NK cells fromHPP were mixed with KG-1a acute myelogenous leukemia cells at a 1:1ratio. After incubation for 24 hours, supernatant was collected andsubjected to Luminex analysis of IFN-γ and GM-CSF secretion. Increasedlevels of IFN-γ and GM-CSF was observed after 24 h incubation ofCD56-enriched HPP cells with KG-1a cells as shown in FIG. 2.Cyclotoxicity of PINK Cells

In a cytotoxicity assay utilizing PINK cells, target tumor cells werelabeled with carboxyfluoroscein succinimidyl ester (CFSE). CFSE is avital stain that is non-toxic to cells, and is partitioned betweendaughter cells during cell division. The cells were then placed in96-well U-bottomed tissue culture plates and incubated with freshlyisolated CD56⁺CD16⁻ PINK cells at effector-target (E:T) ratios of 20:1,10:1, 5:1 and 1:1 in RPMI 1640 supplemented with 10% FBS. After a 4 hourincubation time, cells were harvested and examined by flow cytometry forthe presence of CFSE. The number of target cells recovered from culturewithout NK cells was used as a reference. Cytotoxicity is defined as:(1-CFSE_(sample)/CFSE_(control))*100%. Significant tumor cellcytotoxicity was observed at the 20:1 ratio. See FIG. 3.

Tumor Cell Susceptibility to Cultured PINK Cells

Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH)-Release Assay. The LDH-release assay wasperformed using the CYTOTOX 96a calorimetric cytotoxicity assay kit(Promega, Cat#G1780). In this assay, cultured NK cells, comprising acombination of CD56⁺CD16⁻ cells and CD56⁺CD16⁺ cells derived frommatched HPP/UCB, were effector cells, and tumor cells were target cells.Effector cells and target cells were placed in 96-well U-bottom tissueculture plates and incubated at various effector-target (E:T) ratios in100 μl RPMI 1640 without phenol red (Invitrogen, Cat#11835-030)supplemented with 2% human AB serum (Gemini, Cat#100-512). Cultures wereincubated for 4 h at 37° C. in 5% CO₂. After incubation, 50 μlsupernatant was transferred to enzymatic assay plate, LDH activity wasdetected as provided by the manufacturer, and absorption was measured at490 nm in an ELISA reader (Synergy HT, Biotek). The degree ofcytotoxicity was calculated according to the following equation:% Cytotoxicity=(Sample−Effector Spontaneous−Target Spontaneous)/(Targetmaximum−Target Spontaneous)*100.

Certain tumor types may be more responsive to NK cells than others. Toanalyze susceptibility of tumor cells to cultured PINK cells, twelvedifferent tumor cell lines, cocultured with PINK cells, were analyzed inan LDH release assay. The 12 tumor cell lines included human chronicmyelogenous leukemia (CML), lymphoma, retinoblastoma (RB), and multiplemyeloma (MM) (Table 9). The NK cell cytotoxicity was measured by the LDHrelease assay after 4-hour co-culture.

TABLE 9 ATCC Tumor cell lines Name Description CCRF-CEM Human leukemiaKG-1 Human acute myeloid leukemia KG-1A Human acute myeloid leukemiaK562 Human chronic myeloid leukemia KU812 Human chronic myeloid leukemiaU-937 Human histiocytic lymphoma WERI-RB-1 Human retinoblastoma HCC2218Human breast cancer RPMI 8226 Human multiple myeloma HCT116 Humancolorectal carcinoma HT29 Human colorectal adenocarcinama U266 Humanmultiple myeloma

At effector to target (E:T) ratio of 10:1 significant cytotoxicity ofcultured PINK cells was seen towards K562 cells (CML) at 88.6%±5.6%,U937 cells (lymphoma) at 89.2%±9.8%, WERI-RB-1 cells (RB) at73.3%±11.8%, RPMI8226 cells (MM) at 61.3%±1.3%, and U266 cells (MM) at57.4%±4.7% (Table 10).

TABLE 10 Differential susceptibility of tumor cells to cultured piNKcells. Standard error of the mean (S.E.M.) was calculated for averagecytotoxicity from 3 donors. Cell Line % Cytotoxicity S.E.M CCRF-CEM 7.61.2 KG-1 20.5 1.5 KG-1a 6.0 3.2 K562 88.6 5.6 KU812 40.3 8.2 U937 89.29.8 WERI-RB-1 73.3 11.8 RPMI8226 61.3 1.3 U266 57.4 4.7 HCT-116 61.0 5.1HCC2218 14.8 3.7 HT-29 45.6 6.0Enhancement of PINK Cell Cytotoxicity by Treatment with Lenalidomide andPomalidomide

RNA isolation and purification. Isolated or expanded NK cells weresubjected to RNA preparation using RNAQUEOUS®-4PCR Kit (Ambion, Cat#AM1914). In brief, NK cells (0.5 to 1.5×10⁶ cells) were lysed in theguanidinium lysis solution. The sample lysate was then mixed with anethanol solution, and applied to a silica-based filter which selectivelyand quantitatively binds mRNA and the larger ribosomal RNAs; very smallRNAs such as tRNA and 5S ribosomal RNA were not quantitatively bound.The filter was then washed to remove residual DNA, protein, and othercontaminants, and the RNA was eluted in nuclease-free water containing atrace amount of EDTA to chelate heavy metals. The silica filter washoused in a small cartridge which fits into the RNase-free microfugetubes supplied with the kit. The sample lysate, wash solutions, andelution solution were moved through the filter by centrifugation orvacuum pressure. After elution from the filter the RNA was treated withthe ultra-pure DNase 1 provided with the kit to remove trace amounts ofDNA. Finally, the DNase and divalent cations were removed by a reagentalso provided with the kit. The concentration and purity of therecovered RNA was determined by measuring its absorbance at 260 and 280nm.

Quantitative real-time (qRT-PCR) analysis. Isolated RNA can then be usedfor cDNA synthesis using TAQMAN® Reverse Transcription Reagents (AppliedBiosystems, Cat #N8080234) followed by real-time PCR analysis by the7900HT Fast Real-Time PCR System using Human Immune Array (AppliedBiosystems, Cat#4370573) and Human MicroRNA Array (Applied Biosystems,Cat#438-4792).

Lenalidomide and pomalidomide are chemical analogs of thalidomide withenhanced anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activities. To study iflenalidomide and pomalidomide could enhance PINK cell cytotoxicity, exvivo cultured (day 19) PINK cells were pre-treated with lenalidomide orpomalidomide for 24 hours followed by co-culturing with targetcolorectal carcinoma cell line HCT-116. Lenalidomide-treated NK cellsdemonstrated 42.1% cytotoxicity and pomalidomide-treated NK cells showed47.4% cytotoxicity, while control untreated PINK cells showed only 24.3%cytotoxicity.

Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and flow cytometry analyses showedthat the pomalidomide-elicited enhancement of NK cell cytotoxicity wascorrelated with increased granzyme B (GZMB) gene expression (60%±1.7%increase) (Table 11) and increased percentage of GZMB-positive NK cells(25% increase). In addition, expression of GM-CSF was increased inlenalidomide (232%±1.6% increase) and pomalidomide (396%±0.3%increase)-treated PINK cells (Table 11A, 11B).

Table 11A, 11B. qRT-PCT analysis of lenalidomide- andpomalidomide-treated cultured PINK cells compared to untreated cells.11A: Fold change of gene expression between lenalidomide-treated andlenalidomide-untreated samples for genes listed. The paired t-test isused to determine if fold changes are equal in lenalidomide-treated and-untreated samples. 11B: Fold change of gene expression betweenpomalidomide-treated and pomalidomide-untreated samples for 25 geneslisted. The paired t-test is used to determine if fold changes are equalin treated and untreated samples.

TABLE 11A Veh Len. Veh-stdev Len.-stdev P Value BAX 1 1.39 0.06 0.020.05 CCL5 1 1.24 0.11 0.07 0.04 CCR5 1 0.9 0.07 0.08 0.02 CD68 1 4.040.05 0.13 0.01 CD8A 1 1.3 0.01 0.02 0.02 CSF2 1 2.32 0.14 0.02 0.02 FAS1 1.11 0.02 0.04 0.04 GUSB 1 1.13 0.04 0.07 0.05 IL2RA 1 1.26 0.03 0.010.03 TNFRSF18 1 0.7 0.1 0.16 0.04 BAX - BCL2-associated X protein CCL5 -chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5 CCR5 - chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 5CSF2 - colony stimulating factor 2 (granulocyte-macrophage) FAS - TNFreceptor superfamily, member 6 GUSB - β glucuronidaseβ IL2RA - αinterleukin 2 receptor TNFRSF18 - tumor necrosis factor receptorsuperfamily, member 18

TABLE 11B Veh Pom. Veh-stdev Pom.-stdev P Value ACTB 1 0.77 0.01 0 0.01BAX 1 2.23 0.06 0 0.01 CCL2 1 5.46 0.01 0.37 0.02 CCL3 1 2.2 0.04 0.160.02 CCL5 1 1.78 0.11 0.04 0.02 CCR5 1 0.68 0.07 0 0.05 CD68 1 8.74 0.050.19 0 CD80 1 1.59 0.13 0.19 0.02 CD8A 1 2.39 0.01 0.08 0.01 CSF1 1 1.410.07 0.05 0.01 CSF2 1 3.96 0.14 0 0.01 ECE1 1 1.56 0.06 0.12 0.02 FAS 11.34 0.02 0.03 0.01 GNLY 1.01 1.96 0.18 0.02 0.05 GUSB 1 1.76 0.04 0.010.01 GZMB 1 1.59 0.06 0.02 0.03 IL10 1.02 1.52 0.31 0.22 0.04 IL1A 1.012.61 0.19 0.12 0.01 IL2RA 1 1.58 0.03 0.06 0.01 IL8 1 1.62 0.04 0.060.04 LTA 1 2.68 0.02 0.21 0.02 PRF1 1 1.17 0.07 0.1 0.05 PTGS2 1 1.680.01 0.05 0.02 SKI 1 1.96 0.04 0.02 0.01 TBX21 1.01 2.05 0.14 0.2 0.01ACTB - β-actin BAX - BCL2-associated X protein CCL2 - chemokine (C-Cmotif) ligand 2 CCL3 - chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 3 CCL5 - chemokine(C-C motif) ligand 5 CCR5 - chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 5 CSF1 -colony stimulating factor 1 (macrophage) CSF2 - colony stimulatingfactor 2 (granulocyte-macrophage) ECE1 - endothelin converting enzyme 1FAS - TNF receptor superfamily, member 6 GNLY - granulysin GUSB -glucuronidase-β GZMB - granzyme B (granzyme 2, cytotoxicT-lymphocyte-associated serine esterase 1) IL1A - α interleukin 1IL2RA - interleukin 2 receptor-α IL8 - interleukin 8 IL10 - interleukin10 LTA - lymphotoxin α (TNF superfamily, member 1) PRF1 - perforin 1(pore forming protein) PTGS2 - prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2(prostaglandin G/H synthase and cyclooxygenase) SKI - v-ski sarcomaviral oncogene homolog (avian) TBX21 - T-box 21Cytotoxicity of Combined Natural Killer Cells

In a separate cytotoxicity assay, cultured NK cells derived from donormatched umbilical cord blood and placental perfusate were effectorcells, while tumor cells were target cells. Tumor cells were labeledwith PKH26 (Sigma-Aldrich Catalog #PKH26-GL) (see, e.g., Lee-MacAry etal., J. Immunol. Meth. 252(1-2):83-92 (2001)), which inserts into cellplasma membrane due to its lipophilic aliphatic residue, then placed in96-well U-bottom tissue culture plates and incubated with cultured NKcells at various effector-target (E:T) ratios in 200 μl RPMI 1640supplemented with 10% FBS. Cultures were incubated for 4 h at 37° C. in5% CO₂. After incubation, cells were harvested and TO-PRO-3 (InvitrogenCatalog #T3605), a membrane-impermeable DNA stain, was added to culturesto 1 μM final concentration followed by FACS analysis using BDFACSCanto. Cytotoxicity was expressed as percentage of dead cell(PKH26⁺TO-PRO-3⁺) within the total PKH26⁺ target tumor cells.

In this cytotoxicity assay, human chronic myeloid lymphoma (CML) K562cells were labeled with PKH26, which inserts into cell plasma membrane,and placed in 96-well U-bottomed tissue culture plates. Placental(combo) or peripheral blood NK cells cultured for 21 days were mixedwith K562 cells at effector to target (E:T) ratios of 10:1, 5:1, 2.5:1and 1.25:1 in RPMI 1640 supplemented with 10% v/v FBS. After a 4 hourincubation time, cells were harvested and TO-PRO-3 was added to cellcultures followed by flow cytometry for the presence of PKH26 andTO-PRO-3. Cytotoxicity was expressed as percentage of PKH26⁺TO-PRO-3⁺dead cells within the total PKH26⁺ target tumor cells. Both placental NKcells and peripheral blood NK cells showed substantial toxicity towardsK562 cells at all E:T ratios tested (FIG. 4). Significantly highertoxicity of placental NK cells than peripheral blood NK cells towardsK562 cells was observed at two E:T ratios, 10:1 and 5:1 (FIG. 4).

6.4. Example 4 Cytotoxicity of Human Placental Perfusate Towards TumorCells

This Example demonstrates that human placental perfusate cells arecytotoxic to tumor cells, and that the cytotoxicity of total nucleatedcells from HPP (TNC-HPP) on KG-1a was higher than that of TNC frommatched UCB. Total nucleated cells from HPP or umbilical cord blood(UCB) were mixed with KG-1a cells at ratios of 1:1, 5:1, 10:1, 20:1 or100:1. After 24 h or 48 h incubation, cells were harvested and examinedfor the presence of CFSE by FACS analysis (BD FACSCanto, BD Bioscience).Tumor cells cultured alone were used as controls. Cytotoxicity wasdefined as: (1−CFSE_(Sample)/CFSE^(Control))*100%. Significantcytotoxicity was shown at the 100:1 ratio. See FIG. 5.

In a separate experiment, the cytotoxicity of total nucleated cells fromHPP was compared to that of total nucleated cells from umbilical cordblood. Matched TNC-HPP or UCB was mixed with KG-1a cells at ratios of0.78:1, 1.56:1, 3.12:1, 6.25:1, 12.5:1, 25:1, 50:1 or 100:1. TNC-HPPshowed consistently higher cytotoxicity at all ratios compared to thatof UCB. See FIG. 6.

In another experiment, 24 hours prior to incubation with KG-1a cells,TNC—HPP was stimulated with 100 U/mL, or 1000 U/mL of IL-2, while HPPcultured with RPMI medium was used as control. At a ratio of 6.25 NKcells per KG-1a cells and above, IL-2 appears to increase thecytotoxicity of the TNC-HPP. See FIG. 7.

The experiments were repeated using a broader array of tumor cell types,as shown in Table 12, using 5×10⁵ HPP cells and 1×10⁴ tumor cells.

TABLE 12 Tumor Cell Types Tested for Cytotoxic Effect of PlacentalPerfusate HCC2218 Human primary ductal carcinoma CCRF-CEM Human leukemiaJ.RT3-T3.5 Human acute T cell leukemia K562 Human chronic myeloidlymphoma (CML) KG-1 Human acute myelogenous leukemia KG-1a Human acutemyelogenous leukemia (AML) KU812 Human leukemia (CML) NCI-H1417 Humanlung carcinoma SNU-CI Human colon adenocarcinoma U-937 Human histiocyticlymphoma WERI-RB-1 Human retinoblastoma HCT-116 Human colorectalcarcinoma HT-29 Human colorectal adenocarcinoma U266 Human myeloma

When HPP cells and tumor cells were co-cultured for 24 hours or 48 hoursat a 50:1 ratio, the HPP cells showed substantial toxicity towards thetumor cells. For both times, co-culture resulted in the death of over50% of the tumor cells. See FIGS. 8A and 8B.

6.5. Example 5 Cytokine Production by Human Placental Perfusate CellsDuring Exposure to Tumor Cells

To determine the primary mechanism of action responsible for mediatingthe potent anti-leukemic effects of HPP cells, the cytokine releaseprofile of HPP cells cocultured with tumor cell lines was analyzed, andcompared to that of UCB cells, at different time points by multiplexedLuminex assay.

Supernatants collected post-incubation were subjected to Luminex assayto determine the concentrations of IFN-γ, TNF-α, and GM-CSF(Cat#HCYTO-60K-03, Millipore). These three cytokines are related with NKcytotoxicity. (See, e.g., Imai et al., Blood 2005. 106(1):376-83).Quantitative RT-PCR was also performed to examine the expression ofIFN-γ, TNF-α, and GM-CSF using Applied Biosystems FAST 7900HT instrumentand primers. Culture conditions were the same as for the co-culturecytotoxicity assays described above. Concentrations of cytokines weredetermined using a Luminex assay.

Secretion of IFN-γ, TNF-α, and GM-CSF from HPP cells cocultured withtumor cells was determined to be significantly higher than that of UCBcells. In one experiment, HPP cells were mixed with KG-1a cells atratios of 0.78:1, 1.56:1, 3.12:1, 6.25:1, 12.5:1, 25:1, 50:1 or 100:1,in the presence or absence of 100 U IL-2. TNC-HPP showed consistentlyincreased production of IFN-γ in the presence of IL-2 compared to theabsence of IL-2. IFN-γ levels at 24 h were determined to increase about5-26 fold (median: 16 fold); at 48 h around 3˜65 fold (median: 27 fold),which was consistent with the results from cytotoxicity study. See FIG.9.

In another experiment, 24 hours prior to incubation with KG-1a cells,TNC-HPP was stimulated with 100 U/mL, or 1000 U/mL of IL-2, while HPPcultured with RPMI media was used as control. HPP or matched UCB cellswere incubated 24 h with or without IL-2, before cocultured with KG-1acells. The secretion of IFN-γ was most increased in HPP cells coculturedwith K562 and KG-1a at 48 h. When HPP cells were treated with 100 U/mLIL-2, the cytotoxicity of HPP cells on KG-1a at 24 h and 48 h wasincreased. The secretion level of IFN-γ in HPP cells was higher thanthat of the matched UCB cells upon IL-2 treatment. Higher expression ofIFN-γ was confirmed by RT-PCR analysis of cells from matched HPP andUCB. These results show that HPP cells exhibit higher anti-leukemicactivity as compared to UCB cells and this higher activity is associatedwith a significant increase in IFN-γ production.

IFN-γ production in HPP cells, and in umbilical cord blood cells, duringco-culture with a panel of tumor cell lines was analyzed using the tumorcells lines listed in Table 1, above. HPP cells and tumor cells wereco-cultured for 24 hours or 48 hours at a ratio of 50:1, using 10⁴ tumorcells and 5×10⁵ HPP cells. For CCRF-CEM, J.RT3-T3.5, K562, KG1, KG-1a,KU812, NC1-H1417, U-937 and WER1-RB-1 cell lines, the increase in IFN-γproduction in HPP cells at 24 hours co-culture exceeded that ofumbilical cord blood cells co-cultured with these cell lines for thesame time. See FIG. 10A. At 48 hours co-culture, the increase in IFN-γproduction in HPP cells exceeded that of umbilical cord blood for alltumor cell lines. See FIG. 10B. Of the tumor cell lines, K562 cellsinduced the greatest increase in IFN-γ production in HPP cells at both24 hours and 48 hours. Similar results were observed for TNF-α andGM-CSF.

Cell cycle analysis demonstrated that the percentage of KG-1a in S phasedecreased 30% when cocultured with HPP as compared to KG-1a cellscultured alone. Further coculture experiments performed using differentenriched fractions of HPP demonstrated that the anti-leukemic activityof HPP was largely attributed to the high concentration of uniqueimmature natural killer cells characterized by high expression of CD56⁺,lack of expression of CD16.

6.6. Example 6 Suppression of Tumor Cell Proliferation In Vivo by HumanPlacental Perfusate Cells

6.6.1. Materials & Methods

This Example demonstrates the effectiveness of human placental perfusatein vivo against tumor cells using a NOD/SCID mouse xenograft tumormodel.

Culturing of KG-1 Cells. KG-1 cells were maintained in Iscove's modifiedDulbecco's medium supplemented with 20% of fetal bovine serum (growthmedium) at 37° C. in 95% air/5% CO₂ and 100% humidity. Medium in theculture was changed every other day and cells were passaged weekly. KG-1cells grow as suspensions. Therefore, for changing medium or passagingcells, the cell suspensions were collected in centrifuge tubes andcentrifuged at 2,000 rpm for 10 min in a SORVALL® HERAEUS® rotor (partno. 75006434). The supernatant was discarded and an appropriate amountof the cell pellet was resuspended in the growth medium for continuationof culturing.

KG-1 Cell Preparation for Implantation. For cell implantation to mice,cells were harvested by centrifugation as described above. Cell pelletswere collected and re-suspended in phosphate buffered saline. Todetermine the number of cells to be implanted to the mice, an aliquot ofthe cell suspension was counted using a hemacytometer. Trypan Blue dyewas used to exclude the non-viable cells in the suspension.

HPP Cell Preparation for Implantation. For HPP storage and thawing,samples were received frozen in a dry shipper container in goodcondition. The units were stored in the dry shipping container untilthawing on Feb. 7, 2007. On the day of thawing, HPP units were removedfrom the cryofreezer (one at a time) and placed into ziptop plasticbags. The bags were then placed into a 37° C. water bath with gentleagitation until mostly thawed (a small frozen piece remaining in thebag). The bags were then removed from the water bath, the units wereremoved from the zip-top bags, and the units were gently inverted untilcompletely thawed. The units were then placed into a laminar flow hoodand the outer surface of the blood bag was sterilized by spraying with70% ethanol. Blood bags were cut open using sterile scissors, and cellswere transferred to sterile 50 ml conical tubes (1 tube for each HPPunit; 2 tubes for each UCB unit) by sterile pipette. Next, 10 mL thawingbuffer (2.5% human albumin, 5% dextran 40) was slowly added to each tubewith gentle mixing (over a period of 2.2-2.9 minutes). Each blood bagwas then rinsed with 10 mL thawing buffer, which was then slowly addedto the 50 ml conical tube (over a period of 0.7-1.3 min).

After thawing, each unit was stored on wet ice prior to centrifugation.All tubes were centrifuged for 10 min (440×g at 110° C.), supernatantswere aspirated using sterile pipettes, and pellets were gently disruptedby shaking the tube. A 1-ml aliquot of vehicle (PBS+1% fetal calf serum)was added to one of the tubes, and the tube was mixed by gentleswirling. Using a 2-ml pipette, the contents were transferred to asecond tube and then to a third tube and then a fourth tube. The emptiedtubes were washed with 0.2 ml dilution buffer.

For cell counting, a 25 μl aliquot of was transferred to a 15 ml conicaltube containing 975 μl vehicle on ice. Erythrocytes were then lysed byadding 4 ml cold ammonium chloride lysis reagent and incubating on icefor 10 min. After incubation, 5 ml cold PBS was added to each tube andthe tubes were centrifuged (10 min, 400×g, 10° C.). After RBC lysis,cells were counted by hemacytometer, using trypan blue to assessviability. Counting results were corrected for dilution and then dividedby a lysis factor (0.46) to estimate the number of cells present beforeRBC lysis.

For HPP dose preparation, after counting, HPP cells were diluted to1×10⁸ cells/ml by adding vehicle. HPP cells were then stored on iceuntil syringes were loaded. The elapsed time between thawing the firstunit and completion of dose preparation was less than 3 hours.

Before filling syringes, a 50 μl aliquot of the dosing material was setaside for post-dose verification by counting as described above. Afterdosing, remaining dose material was assessed for dose verification.

Study Design. On Day 1, twenty-four NOD/SCID male mice (JacksonLaboratories) were implanted with 5 million viable KG-1 cells S/C at theflank region. The mice were separated such that four to five mice werehoused in a micro-isolation cage system with wood chip bedding.Sterilized rodent feed and water was provided ad libitum. The mice wereclosely monitored twice a week for tumor growth. The first measurabletumor was observed on Day 25. Body weights were then recorded once aweek and tumor measurements recorded twice a week with a caliper. On Day52 post-implantation, the animals were randomized into three separategroups, with tumor volumes averaging about 300-350 mm³. See Table 13,below. The first group consisted of four control mice with an averagetumor volume of 312 mm³. Two of these mice were implanted intravenously(IV), and two intra-tumorally (IT), with 200 μl and 50 μl of a vehiclesolution, respectively. The second group with an average tumor volume of345 mm³ consisted of four mice implanted intravenously with 2001 of HPPcells per mouse (2×10⁷ cells). The last group, implanted IT with 50 μlof HPP cells per mouse also consisted of four mice with an average tumorvolume of 332 mm³.

TABLE 13 Experimental groups for in vivo tumor suppression experiment.Tumor Volume On Day of Animal # HPP Treatment Group HPP ImplantationGroup 1 (Control) 1 IV 1 457 2 IT 2 429 3 IT 3 214 4 IV 4 147 Mean: 312Group 2 (IV Cell Implantation) 5 1 466 6 2 209 7 3 217 8 4 487 Mean: 345Group 3 (IT Cell Implantation) 9 1 491 10 2 256 11 3 296 12 4 285 Mean:332 IV - 200 μL implantation; IT - 50 μL implantation.

On Day 66, 14 days after the implantation of HPP cells, the study wasterminated due to high tumor volumes.

6.6.2. Results

The tumor volumes (TV) were measured until Day 66 (day 14 post HPP-cellimplantation) when the TV of the control group reached an average of2921 mm³. The IV treatment group at the end of study had an average TVof 2076 mm³, and the IT group had a TV of 2705 mm³. With respect to %increase in the TV post-treatment, the IT group showed a modest 20%inhibition whereas the IV group showed more than 35% inhibition of tumorgrowth compared to the control group. Inhibition in the IT group wasdemonstrable. See FIG. 11.

Equivalents:

The present invention is not to be limited in scope by the specificembodiments described herein. Indeed, various modifications of theinvention in addition to those described will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the foregoing description and accompanyingfigures. Such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of theappended claims.

All references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference intheir entirety and for all purposes to the same extent as if eachindividual publication, patent or patent application was specificallyand individually indicated to be incorporated by reference in itsentirety for all purposes. The citation of any publication is for itsdisclosure prior to the filing date and should not be construed as anadmission that the present invention is not entitled to antedate suchpublication by virtue of prior invention.

1. A method of suppressing the proliferation of tumor cells comprisingcontacting the tumor cells with human placental perfusate cells, whereinsaid placental perfusate cells comprise CD56⁺ placental intermediatenatural killer (PINK) cells.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tumorcells are blood cancer cells.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein thetumor cells are solid tumor cells.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein thetumor cells are primary ductal carcinoma cells, leukemia cells, acute Tcell leukemia cells, chronic myeloid lymphoma (CML) cells, acutemyelogenous leukemia cells, chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) cells,lung carcinoma cells, colon adenocarcinoma cells, histiocytic lymphomacells, colorectal carcinoma cells, colorectal adenocarcinoma cells, orretinoblastoma cells.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said perfusatecomprises a culture medium.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein saidperfusate has been treated to remove a plurality of erythrocytes.
 7. Themethod of claim 1, wherein said contacting is contacting in vitro. 8.The method of claim 1, wherein said contacting is contacting in vivo. 9.The method of claim 8, wherein said contacting is in a human.
 10. Themethod of claim 1, wherein said plurality of placental perfusate cellsare total nucleated cells from placental perfusate.
 11. The method ofclaim 1, wherein said placental perfusate cells comprise at least about50% CD56⁺ placental cells.
 12. A method of suppressing the proliferationof tumor cells comprising contacting the tumor cells with a plurality ofCD56⁺, CD16⁻ PINK cells.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein saidcontacting takes place in vitro.
 14. The method of claim 12, whereinsaid contacting takes place in vivo.
 15. The method of claim 14, whereinsaid contacting takes place in a human.
 16. The method of claim 12,wherein said tumor cells are primary ductal carcinoma cells, leukemiacells, acute T cell leukemia cells, chronic myeloid lymphoma (CML)cells, acute myelogenous leukemia cells, chronic myelogenous leukemia(CML) cells, lung carcinoma cells, colon adenocarcinoma cells,histiocytic lymphoma cells, multiple myeloma cells, colorectal carcinomacells, colorectal adenocarcinoma cells, or retinoblastoma cells.
 17. Themethod of claim 12, wherein said PINK cells are contacted with animmunomodulatory compound in an amount and for a time sufficient forsaid PINK cells to express detectably more granzyme B than an equivalentnumber of PINK cells not contacted with said immunomodulatory compound.18. The method of claim 17, wherein said immunomodulatory compound islenalidomide or pomalidomide.
 19. A method of suppressing theproliferation of tumor cells comprising contacting the tumor cells withcombined natural killer cells, wherein said combined natural killercells comprise PINK cells isolated from placental perfusate and naturalkiller cells isolated from umbilical cord blood, and wherein saidumbilical cord blood is isolated from the placenta from which saidplacental perfusate is obtained.
 20. The method of claim 19, whereinsaid contacting takes place in vitro.
 21. The method of claim 19,wherein said contacting takes place in vivo.
 22. The method of claim 21,wherein said contacting takes place in a human.
 23. The method of claim19, wherein said tumor cells are primary ductal carcinoma cells,leukemia cells, acute T cell leukemia cells, chronic myeloid lymphoma(CML) cells, acute myelogenous leukemia cells, chronic myelogenousleukemia (CML) cells, lung carcinoma cells, colon adenocarcinoma cells,histiocytic lymphoma cells, multiple myeloma cells, colorectal carcinomacells, colorectal adenocarcinoma cells, or retinoblastoma cells.
 24. Themethod of claim 19, wherein said combined natural killer cells comprise:a detectably higher number of CD3⁻CD56⁺CD16⁻ natural killer cells thanan equivalent number of natural killer cells from peripheral blood; adetectably lower number of CD3⁻CD56⁺CD16⁺ natural killer cells than anequivalent number of natural killer cells from peripheral blood; adetectably higher number of CD3⁻CD56⁺KIR2DL2/L3⁺ natural killer cellsthan an equivalent number of natural killer cells from peripheral blood;a detectably lower number of CD3⁻CD56⁺NKp46⁺ natural killer cells thanan equivalent number of natural killer cells from peripheral blood; adetectably higher number of CD3⁻CD56⁺NKp30⁺ natural killer cells than anequivalent number of natural killer cells from peripheral blood; adetectably higher number of CD3⁻CD56⁺2B4⁺ natural killer cells than anequivalent number of natural killer cells from peripheral blood; or adetectably higher number of CD3⁻CD56⁺CD94⁺ natural killer cells than anequivalent number of natural killer cells from peripheral blood.
 25. Themethod of claim 24, wherein said natural killer cells have not beencultured.
 26. The method of claim 19, wherein said combined naturalkiller cells comprise: a detectably lower number of CD3⁻CD56⁺KIR2DL2/L3⁺natural killer cells than an equivalent number of natural killer cellsfrom peripheral blood; a detectably higher number of CD3⁻CD56⁺NKp46⁺natural killer cells than an equivalent number of natural killer cellsfrom peripheral blood; a detectably higher number of CD3⁻CD56⁺NKp44⁺natural killer cells than an equivalent number of natural killer cellsfrom peripheral blood; a detectably higher number of CD3⁻CD56⁺NKp30⁺natural killer cells than an equivalent number of natural killer cellsfrom peripheral blood.
 27. The method of claim 26, wherein said naturalkiller cells have been cultured.
 28. The method of claim 27, whereinsaid natural killer cells have been cultured for about 21 days.
 29. Themethod of claim 11, wherein said placental perfusate cells comprise atleast about 50% CD56⁺, CD16⁻ PINK cells.
 30. The method of claim 12,wherein said placental perfusate cells comprise at least about 50%CD56⁺, CD16⁻ PINK cells.
 31. The method of claim 1, wherein said PINKcells express one or more of the microRNAs hsa-miR-100, hsa-miR-127,hsa-miR-211, hsa-miR-302c, hsa-miR-326, hsa-miR-337, hsa-miR-497,hsa-miR-512-3p, hsa-miR-515-5p, hsa-miR-517b, hsa-miR-517c,hsa-miR-518a, hsa-miR-518e, hsa-miR-519d, hsa-miR-520g, hsa-miR-520h,hsa-miR-564, hsa-miR-566, hsa-miR-618, or hsa-miR-99a at a detectablyhigher level than peripheral blood natural killer cells.
 32. The methodof claim 12, wherein said PINK cells express one or more of themicroRNAs hsa-miR-100, hsa-miR-127, hsa-miR-211, hsa-miR-302c,hsa-miR-326, hsa-miR-337, hsa-miR-497, hsa-miR-512-3p, hsa-miR-515-5p,hsa-miR-517b, hsa-miR-517c, hsa-miR-518a, hsa-miR-518e, hsa-miR-519d,hsa-miR-520g, hsa-miR-520h, hsa-miR-564, hsa-miR-566, hsa-miR-618, orhsa-miR-99a at a detectably higher level than peripheral blood naturalkiller cells.
 33. The method of claim 19, wherein said PINK cellsexpress one or more of the microRNAs hsa-miR-100, hsa-miR-127,hsa-miR-211, hsa-miR-302c, hsa-miR-326, hsa-miR-337, hsa-miR-497,hsa-miR-512-3p, hsa-miR-515-5p, hsa-miR-517b, hsa-miR-517c,hsa-miR-518a, hsa-miR-518e, hsa-miR-519d, hsa-miR-520g, hsa-miR-520h,hsa-miR-564, hsa-miR-566, hsa-miR-618, or hsa-miR-99a at a detectablyhigher level than peripheral blood natural killer cells.
 34. The methodof claim 1, wherein said PINK cells express one or more ofaminopeptidase N protein, apolipoprotein E protein, atrophin-1interacting protein 1, innexin inx-3 protein, integrin alpha-2 precursorprotein, integrin beta-5 precursor, mast cell surface glycoprotein GP49Bprecursor protein, or ryanodine receptor 1 protein; and do not expressone or more of fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 precursor protein,immunity-associated nucleotide 4-like protein, integrin alpha-Lprecursor protein, integrin beta 2 precursor protein, integrin beta 4precursor protein, membrane-bound lytic murein transglycosylase Dprecursor protein, oxysterol binding protein-related protein 8, orperforin 1 precursor 1 protein.
 35. The method of claim 12, wherein saidPINK cells express one or more of aminopeptidase N protein,apolipoprotein E protein, atrophin-1 interacting protein 1, innexininx-3 protein, integrin alpha-2 precursor protein, integrin beta-5precursor, mast cell surface glycoprotein GP49B precursor protein, orryanodine receptor 1 protein; and do not express one or more offibroblast growth factor receptor 4 precursor protein,immunity-associated nucleotide 4-like protein, integrin alpha-Lprecursor protein, integrin beta 2 precursor protein, integrin beta 4precursor protein, membrane-bound lytic murein transglycosylase Dprecursor protein, oxysterol binding protein-related protein 8, orperforin 1 precursor 1 protein.
 36. The method of claim 19, wherein saidPINK cells express one or more of aminopeptidase N protein,apolipoprotein E protein, atrophin-1 interacting protein 1, innexininx-3 protein, integrin alpha-2 precursor protein, integrin beta-5precursor, mast cell surface glycoprotein GP49B precursor protein, orryanodine receptor 1 protein; and do not express one or more offibroblast growth factor receptor 4 precursor protein,immunity-associated nucleotide 4-like protein, integrin alpha-Lprecursor protein, integrin beta 2 precursor protein, integrin beta 4precursor protein, membrane-bound lytic murein transglycosylase Dprecursor protein, oxysterol binding protein-related protein 8, orperforin 1 precursor 1 protein.